Courage's Hope
by Zesh
Summary: When Muriel and Eustace come down with a fatal illness, Courage travels to Japan to find the cure. He meets the Sailor Guardians, and they agree to help him. But the Dark Kingdom teams up with Courage's enemies to destroy Courage and the Guardians. Can Courage and the Guardians find the cure before it's too late?
1. Usagi, Weremole

**Chapter One: Usagi, Weremole**

Muriel moaned.

Courage stood in front of the couch she and Eustace laid on, his pink fur dirty from not washing it during the week his elderly owners had been sick. The farmer and the Scottish woman were paler than Courage had ever seen.

Dr. Vindaloo had said there was "nothing to worry about" while Muriel's and Eustace's pasty skin, hoarse voices, and continuous shivers said otherwise. Told them that they needed more rest when Muriel and Eustace had already rested for a week, taken aspirin, soaked in hot baths; their conditions hadn't improved.

So Courage sat in front of the computer and typed in all the symptoms, asked the computer what was going on.

"It's an extremely rare illness," the computer replied. "Only one in a million chance of contracting it."

Courage pulled his ears. Of course the people who were closest to him would contract such an illness.

"As for a cure…" A picture of Earth popped onto the screen and spun. "Searching… Searching…" Zoomed in on an island. "Here's where the cure is. The Azabu-Juuban district of Tokyo, Japan."

"What is the cure?" Courage typed.

"You have to find that out for yourself. Which I'm _plenty_ sure a twit like you could do."

The situation was too serious for Courage to become angry at the computer's sarcasm. He needed to go to Japan, but he didn't know a lick of Japanese. Heck, he could barely speak English.

He spent the next few days studying Japanese with the computer as his teacher. Although, half the time, the computer made jokes about Courage in Japanese and then translated them into English, Courage managed to learn how to write his name and ask about the illness and the cure.

While Courage learned Japanese, Muriel and Eustace coughed more often and became paler, like if they lost any more color, they'd become transparent. They could still move and take care of themselves while he was gone. Dr. Vindaloo would come by every day to check on them.

Finally, he was ready.

Courage packed a duffel bag and boarded a plane to Tokyo, Japan. He sat beside a sleeping elephant that drooled on him the whole twenty-hour flight.

After the plane touched down, he rode a crowded train, getting squished between two elephants, one that drooled on him even though she wasn't sleeping.

He arrived in Azabu-Juuban and began the search for the cure.

* * *

"Look at this!" Usagi pressed her face to the shop window. Bracelets, necklaces, diamonds… So pretty.

She let out a gasp and drew away. Being childish wasn't princess-like.

Makoto put a hand on her shoulder. Usagi looked up into her bright green eyes and returned her smile.

Ever since Mamoru had been captured, Usagi hadn't been able to concentrate on video games, manga, or her schoolwork—not that she'd ever concentrated on her schoolwork before. She hadn't slept in days, either. To get her to relax, her friends and fellow Sailor Guardians, Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako, had brought her to the mall outside Azabu-Juuban. After all, they could only wait until the full moon came in about a month to travel there and learn about their past lives as Sailor Guardians.

Then, they'd go after the Dark Kingdom.

They hadn't heard from or about the Dark Kingdom since Mamoru was captured. No attacks, no monsters, no nothing.

Makoto turned her attention to the jewelry store, her ponytail gently whipping. "Those look beautiful. How about we head inside?"

Once inside, Usagi did her best to stay focused on the ruby bracelets and emerald necklaces, but all the jewelry reminded her of was the Silver Crystal and, by extension, Mamoru.

Usagi's black cat and partner, Luna, peeked out of her handbag. "Usagi-chan, if you're not feeling well…"

Usagi forced a smile. "I'm feeling well. I know it doesn't look like it, but I am. The only reason I don't is because I, um, want ice cream. Yes. That's it." She'd feel better after eating ice cream.

Usagi and her friends bought ice cream. Usagi struggled to keep it from dripping onto Luna's crescent spot. Minako, too, struggled to keep her ice cream from dripping onto Artemis's head, the white cat inside her handbag.

"This makes me feel so much better," Usagi said.

"I think it's a fitting end to the day." Minako caught a drip of ice cream onto her tongue before it landed on her blonde hair.

"Right." Ami glanced at a wall clock. "It's getting late. We should be getting back home."

"I have a few things to take care of tonight, anyhow." Rei stepped onto the down escalator in front of them. Ami, Makoto, and Minako followed, leaving Usagi deep in her thoughts about Mamoru, her ice cream making a puddle on the floor. No matter what Usagi did, her thoughts always returned to him.

"Usagi-chan." Luna tugged Usagi's sleeve. "Usagi-chan."

"Ah." Snapping out of her thoughts, Usagi saw her friends step onto the ground floor. "Wait up!" She slipped on the ice cream. Luna was tossed out of her bag as Usagi tumbled down the escalator.

* * *

Courage couldn't find it.

He'd searched every medicine shop he found, asked the clerks in garbled Japanese. No one knew what he was talking about, so he wrote the symptoms down as best he could, asked for a cure. The few who understood his written Japanese couldn't name the illness and didn't have any treatments, much less a cure.

Now Courage was at the mall near Azabu-Juuban. Maybe he'd find more pharmacies there.

He stopped in front of an escalator, scratching his head, turning the mall map all sorts of ways to try to get a bearing of where he was.

"Usagi-chan!"

Courage looked toward the voice. Four teenage girls stood near him, gaping at the escalator, calling, "Usagi-chan!" He whipped his head to the escalator. Another teenage girl fell head over heels, slamming her face on one of the steps, her blonde pigtails twirling like a baton. An ice cream cone tumbled after her, and a black cat chased.

Courage was in front of the escalator.

She was coming right toward him.

Courage let out an ear-destroying scream.

She fell on him, and everything blackened.

* * *

Usagi opened her eyes. She was in her bedroom, her friends hovering over her. She only remembered falling down the escalator and hitting her head.

"How're you feeling?" Makoto said.

Usagi sat up. "Fine." She'd seen a flash of pink before falling on the floor. "Me being clumsy, as usual." A clumsy crybaby. She smiled and then blinked. "But that pink thing from earlier, was it my imagination?"

"Actually, you fell on a dog," Rei said. "He's beside you."

"A doggy?" Usagi looked. A small, pink dog lay beside her. The dog opened his eyes and then looked around the bedroom as though he were afraid. His eyes darted to her, and he screamed right in her ear.

* * *

Courage gulped back the rest of his scream. The pigtailed girl had recoiled.

"I…I think he broke my ears." She wiggled her finger inside both ears.

Courage hadn't known where he was, though, and then he had seen the pigtailed girl who had almost ended his life, so he'd screamed.

Another blonde teenager, this one wearing a red bow, wiggled her fingers like she was performing some sort of voodoo. "Ooh, you're scary, Usagi-chan."

But the pigtailed girl—Usagi—didn't show any signs of hearing her friend. Kept rubbing the inside of her ears.

Courage took the moment to look at all the teenagers. There was a brunette taller than the rest. Another teenager had sharp violet eyes and dark purple hair, and the other had short, blue hair with almost sad blue eyes. Hiding behind the blue-haired teenager's legs were a black cat and a white cat. Must be scared of him because he was a dog, but after being ensnared in Katz's webs so many times, he'd never chase a cat again.

Usagi hugged Courage to her cheek. "I'm sorry, doggy. I hurt you, didn't I?"

Even though Courage had annihilated her eardrums, she was still being nice to him. She didn't seem angry, but that was probably to be expected, what with her falling on him.

Courage hugged back, a crystal around her neck pressing into Courage's chest. He had a feeling that he could trust these girls. Most of the enemies he came across were out to get him from the beginning.

"What should we do?" the blue-haired girl said. "He doesn't have a collar, and the security officers at the mall didn't know anyone who had lost a dog."

"Maybe we should make some wanted posters," the violet-eyed girl said.

Red Bow smacked a fist into her palm. "I'm on it."

Courage shook his head rapidly, explained that Muriel and Eustace were sick and needed a cure and Courage had traveled all the way here from Nowhere, Kansas, and had looked almost everywhere in Azabu-Juuban because the computer had said the cure was there and he'd gone to all the pharmacists and doctors he could find but they didn't know anything about the cure.

The teenagers didn't understand.

Red Bow furrowed her brow. "Uh, was he talking? Like another Luna and Artemis?"

"Babbling is more accurate." The black cat had a female voice, and Artemis was a female goddess, so Courage assumed she was named Artemis. "What do you think, Artemis?"

Oh. The white cat was named Artemis, and the black cat was named Luna. These teenagers gave their cats weird names.

"Probably not one of us," Artemis said.

"Right," the blue-haired girl said. "No marking on his forehead or anywhere on his body. I checked while I was washing him."

Courage gave himself a once-over. His fur was shining.

"Looks like he doesn't want his owners to find him," the brunette said.

Courage jumped off the bed, dashed between the girls, to the desk piled with manga and CDs. He took paper and a pen from his pocket, sat on the chair, and wrote everything about the illness, his traveling to Japan, his name. The girls and cats gathered around.

"A dog that knows how to write. Geez."

"Illness."

"Can't find cure."

"Yuuki." Courage's name in Japanese. "What a strong name."

"The cure's here? Right in Azabu-Juuban?"

"Why here and not anywhere else in the world?"

"His owners are all the way in the United States," Luna said. "He must really love them."

"Love" was a bit too strong a word for Courage's feelings toward Eustace.

"I can see why they named you Courage," Usagi said. "It takes a lot of courage to come all the way here by yourself."

Red Bow straightened. "It's proper for us to introduce ourselves, too. I'm Minako. Don't worry. I'm all in helping you find your cure."

"So am I," the brunette said. "I'm Makoto, by the way."

"And I'm Rei," the raven-haired girl said.

"I'm Ami," the blue-haired girl said. "Nice to meet you."

"I'm Usagi. We'll help you find your cure. I'm really sorry for falling on you earlier." She drew her to him, and he hugged back, tighter this time. "To help make up for the pain I caused you, how about you stay here? Mama shouldn't mind."

Courage nodded. He was ready to find this cure, for Muriel and Eustace.

* * *

Queen Beryl pored over Prince Endymion, handsome even while unconscious. She eyed Kunzite, who bowed before her. The only one left of the Four Heavenly Kings.

Beryl looked into the crystal ball at her side, her red hair cascading over the table it sat on. In it, the Sailor Guardians were doting over a small, pink dog. Beryl scowled. They'd met a new friend. A feral grin spread on her face. Another opportunity to torment and destroy the Guardians before they reached the moon.

"Kunzite."

Kunzite was at her side in an instant. "Yes, Queen Beryl?"

She gestured toward her crystal ball. "Look inside."

Kunzite stepped to the crystal ball, saw what Queen Beryl had seen. "It seems they care deeply about that dog, even though they just met it. Listen to them." His silver eyes sharpened. "The Sailor Guardians can't resist helping that poor little dog. Typical. But the dog's owners are weak. Maybe I can use them." He parted his silver bangs from his eyes. "Queen Beryl, I'm going to Nowhere. I want to find out more about this dog."

"It seems like you have a plan."

"I'm thinking of one."

"Then again, Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoisite had plans, too, and they all failed."

Kunzite didn't twitch. He was the calmest and most mature of the Kings, traits that Beryl appreciated. "They tried using brute force against the Guardians, only to be quickly destroyed. I need to use a different strategy."

"I see. I'm glad you're using your wits."

Kunzite closed his eyes and concentrated. A farmhouse in Nowhere, Kansas, where the dog's owners lived, appeared in his mind's eye. Two old, fragile humans lay on two separate couches. They couldn't be used.

He needed to see the history behind this house, find some clues as to how the humans had gotten this disease.

In the middle of one night, while the dog's owners had been sleeping, the dog at the foot of the bed, Nephrite visited the house for energy. Flushed with anger when he saw two humans with hardly any energy left. In his impulsiveness, Nephrite put his hands on both the humans' heads and pulsed black energy into them, infecting them with a fatal illness. Kunzite knew that it was probably Nephrite's intent to make their deaths slow and painful, to anguish the dog from watching its owners slowly die.

Kunzite went slightly back in time again. Monsters had attacked the dog and its owners multiple times. He could use them.

He told Queen Beryl of his plans.

"As long as it works," she replied.

"It will."

Kunzite found the monsters he was going to use, sent them to the Dark Kingdom, and explained his deal: He'd give them all the power they needed to destroy the dog but only if they also destroyed the Guardians.

They all agreed.

* * *

Usagi jolted awake from another countless nightmare about Mamoru's capture. Courage, who slept at the end of her bed, looked up at her, and Luna looked from her place on the windowsill.

Luna jumped over to Usagi and licked her cheek. "We'll save him soon, Usagi-chan."

"Thanks, Luna."

Courage padded over to Usagi and hugged her like a human, even though he knew nothing about Usagi's personal life. She was thankful that her mama and papa agreed to let Courage stay for a while. Her little brother, Shingo, didn't give Usagi that hard of a time about it. Maybe her family was catching on to her depressed mood and thought that a dog would cheer her up.

"Go back to sleep," Usagi said. "I'll be fine. Besides, if you don't get your sleep, Luna, who'll wake me up in time for school, before Mama rages in here?"

Luna pulled back. "Usagi-chan…"

"I'll be fine. Really." Usagi fell back on the bed, taking Courage with her. Courage made his way back to the foot of the bed and lay, Luna beside him.

Once Luna and Courage were asleep, Usagi got up and walked to the window. She pulled back the curtain and gazed at the crescent moon. She thought she saw a brown animal on the sidewalk, but when she looked, nothing was there.

She returned her attention to the moon. Where she and her friends were going to go soon, to help them find Mamoru. Usagi set her jaw. She'd never forgive anyone who hurt him.

Something creaked behind her. She whipped her head around. Nothing again. Must've been the house creaking.

Time for the twentieth try at falling asleep, anyhow. She turned toward her bed, and on it stood a huge brown mole.

Courage started. He gasped and then screamed and then dove toward the mole, but the mole leaped to Usagi, clamped its fangs down on her arm, its red eyes alight like fire. Pain shot through Usagi. She suppressed a scream, didn't want to wake her family, although Courage surely had already.

The mole unlatched itself from her arm and then crashed through the window, plunged under the sidewalk, and burrowed away.

Usagi jumped back in her bed, grabbing Courage and Luna and hugging them to her, shoving her reddening arm under the covers, hoping that her tears looked like sweat, make her story more believable.

Her family burst into her room.

"Was that you screaming, Usagi?" her mama asked, her blue hair swept into a messy bun. Beside her mama, her papa held a baseball bat. Behind them, Shingo crossed his arms.

"Uh, y-yes. Yes." She pressed Courage and Luna closer to her, and Courage whimpered. "I was having a nightmare, is all. About failing a test at school."

Shingo scoffed. "Is that what you screamed about? You fail tests all the time."

"Quiet, you. This was a much scarier dream than you think."

Her papa squinted, pushed his glasses closer to his eyes. "Were you crying?"

"No, just sweating." She wiped the tears away. Her eyes glistened with more tears, and she flopped down before her family could see. "I'm gonna try to go back to sleep. Good night."

Taking a last look at Usagi, her family left. She released a breath and let go of Courage and Luna.

"I think you know what I'm going to ask," Luna said. "And I bet you're wondering it, too."

Courage started babbling again, his eyes frantic, and he _shapeshifted_ into that giant mole. While he was a mole, he kept shapeshifting—Usagi had never seen anything like it—shapeshifted one of his arms into a human arm, bit it, transformed into a human-like creature that resembled the mole.

Was Courage trying to tell her that whoever was bitten by the mole turned into one?

 _Oh, no_. It wasn't like she enjoyed transforming into Sailor Moon.

Usagi waved her hand dismissively. "D-don't be ridiculous, Courage." Sweat rolled down her forehead. "I won't turn into a mole." But it looked like Courage recognized that mole and tried to save Usagi before it bit her.

Maybe Courage was just an anthropomorphic, paranoid dog that watched too many horror movies.

She pulled out her watermelon-sized arm and gawked. How on Earth was she going to hide her arm from her friends and teachers at school? Not to mention her family.

"We should take you to a doctor," Luna said.

"Good idea. I'll figure out a way to go tomorrow before school."

With that, Usagi went back to sleep, Courage and Luna close to her, Courage shaking.

* * *

Courage didn't sleep.

The doctor wouldn't do any good because a weremole bite was curable only with a weremole's hair.

How had the weremole gotten all the way to Japan? Unless weremoles lived in Japan, too. Weremoles _had_ to live in Japan. It wouldn't make sense for the weremole to swim across the ocean to torment him.

But that weremole looked like the same one that had bitten Muriel. He shook his head of the thought. How would it have known that Courage was in Japan? Lots of weremoles probably looked the same.

It was a good thing that the next full moon wouldn't come until later that month. Courage had time to find the weremole, pluck its hair, and feed the hair to Usagi before she transformed.

With that reassurance, he fell asleep.

* * *

Usagi's eyes snapped open. She was coated in sweat. Another nightmare about Mamoru.

She had to use the bathroom anyway. She swung out of her bed and, as she padded to the door, saw the crescent moon out of the corner of her eye. She broke out into more of a sweat, wiped her forehead. Her room spun, and Luna, Courage, her bed became distorted, hazy. She staggered to her dresser and put both hands on it to steady herself. She faintly heard Luna call her name, faintly saw Courage's eyes grow into three times its normal size.

"Feel…strange…" Usagi gripped her forehead. Her surroundings darkened into crimson, and her teeth grew into fangs. Her hands elongated, her nails sharpening into claws. Fur exploded over her, and her hair reddened. She tried to say "Help," but it came out as a roar.

That black cat was saying something, but Usagi wanted something to eat. The cat _could_ do.

A slam from behind her. She snapped her head around. Standing in front of the door was a short human with spiky brown fur on his head, yapping something like, "Would you shut up?" since he was trying to sleep and, "You already woke me up before about some nonsense."

He looked tasty.

She roared. His face whitened, and he screamed alongside the dog, their screams' combined volume cracking the window. His hair rose, eyes bulging, like he was just then realizing that something was off about her, and she used his stunned state to her advantage. She leaped, opening her mouth, and engulfed half his body, his scream muffled inside her mouth. So many flavors, she'd chew on him for a while before she swallowed him.

She dove under the floorboards, taking the human boy with her.

* * *

Courage and Luna stood on the bed, gaping.

"I think I'd better call the girls," Luna said.

Luna took out a wristwatch and spoke into it. Courage didn't have time to wait. He jumped down the hole Usagi had left.

He screamed as he fell through the two story home. In the living room, he collided with Usagi's back. Usagi let out a cry, letting go of the boy, her brother. She bucked Courage into the wall, the saliva-covered boy crawling away. Courage slid down the wall and shook his head of the pain, only to see Usagi open her mouth so that it was as wide as the sofa.

Her brother let out another holler and scurried away like a rat.

"What is going on down here?"

Usagi's parents had come down. One of them turned the light on, and Usagi's mom gasped. Usagi froze, drooling over the Persian rug, and her brother hurried behind both parents.

Usagi's father blinked. "I knew you weren't getting enough sleep lately, Usagi."

Courage pulled his ears. Did all humans have to be so oblivious?

He hurried over to Usagi's family and explained that a weremole had bitten Usagi and she'd turned into a weremole even though the moon wasn't full and that her brother could turn into a weremole too since he had been eaten and if Usagi got her teeth on her parents they could turn into weremoles too and they needed to get far away from here now.

They stared at Courage, slack-jawed.

"Did that dog just shapeshift?" her dad asked. Courage howled in frustration.

Usagi seemed to remember that she was a weremole then, because she leaped toward all of them. Courage had to do something.

A girl who looked like Makoto leaped in front of them. Usagi headbutted Makoto's hands and burrowed, trying to get past her.

"What's going on?" It _was_ Makoto but wearing a sailor suit and a tiara for some reason.

Usagi's brother slumped, pale and shaking. "She, she ate me." His voice had risen, like he was a three-year-old boy. "Mama…!" He collapsed into his mom's arms and wailed.

"Who are you?" Usagi's father said to Makoto. "What is going on tonight?"

Courage explained the same thing he had said before. When he finished, Makoto stared at him, slack-jawed. Why couldn't humans ever understand what he was saying?

More importantly, Usagi had started snapping her fangs at Makoto's arm, and if Makoto was bitten… Usagi's brother had already been bitten, and three weremoles in the same house would not be good.

Makoto pushed Usagi onto the floor. She hiccupped, and tears flowed from her eyes, a wail, like her brother's, joining the tears. Weremoles cried?

Ami, Rei, and Minako slid in front of the group, blocking Usagi from her family, Makoto, and Courage. They all wore similar outfits as Makoto's but in different colors, some with different accessories. Why'd they change clothes?

Usagi's mother patted her brother on the back. "This is one strange night."

"She's crying," Rei said. "That proves that Usagi's in there somewhere."

Usagi roared, tears still flowing, spittle flying from her mouth. She charged, hands and feet pounding the floor. She opened her mouth, prepared to engulf someone else.

Courage darted around Makoto, only for her to grab him, taking the breath out of him.

"No, Courage," she said. "We'll handle this."

Courage explained that he had to find the weremole and pluck a hair and feed it to Usagi so she would change back into a human, but Makoto gave him that slack-jawed stare.

Minako unhooked a chain that hung from her orange skirt. "Venus Love-Me Chain!" The chain wrapped around Usagi, and she snapped her fangs on it repeatedly, trying to break it.

"Why didn't she change back into a human?" Minako growled.

Courage had to find that weremole. He screamed into Makoto's ear, and she dropped him. As Makoto rubbed her ear, Courage rushed out the door.

* * *

Usagi struggled to break free from the chain. All she wanted to do was eat. She'd been stopped from eating the boy, and that mean human girl had pushed her _._ Now she wanted to eat them even more. She'd been going after that mean girl to eat her, but this chain had gotten in her away. All these girls were mean, so she'd have to eat all of them.

A black cat and white cat padded down the stairs, peering at her between the railing's poles. Didn't look tasty compared to the humans.

"That's the second time that dog's done that," the brunette said. She'd be first.

Usagi clamped down on the chain as hard as she could. The blonde pulled, strain evident on her face, to keep Usagi bound. Usagi grinded her teeth against the chain, and it snapped.

"What?" the blonde said. Usagi vomited the chain's pieces onto the blonde, some into the blonde's eyes. The blonde covered her eyes and staggered backward, the brunette catching her.

Usagi opened her mouth again and leaped toward the blonde and the brunette. This time, a raven-haired girl got in her way, and Usagi engulfed her instead. She would do.

Usagi scuttled out the door, into the chilly night, the raven-haired girl's screams muffled inside her mouth. Usagi relished all the girl's tastes, one of them, strangely, of smoke, which, for some reason, also tasted good.

The girl inside Usagi's mouth said something like, "Usagi, it's me, Rei. I knew you could eat a lot, but I didn't think you had this big of an appetite."

Her name did ring a bell, but all Usagi cared about was eating. She kept padding into the night so she could get far away from the rest of the girls and enjoy her meal in peace.

"Mercury Aqua Mist!"

A fog descended on Usagi. She kept charging forward, even though she could no longer see the cobblestone path, the fences, the houses. One of the girls was right behind her, and Usagi couldn't have that.

"She's still going."

"We have to catch her somehow. Damn, if only I had my chain."

"How the hell did she break it?"

"I don't understand, either." A different voice, but still familiar, like the others' voices.

"If even Luna doesn't know… It doesn't matter. We have to keep going. Hopefully, we can figure this all out later."

Usagi slid to a stop. She'd eat all the girls, right here, right now. She shook Rei back and forth and then threw Rei upward. Rei flipped toward the moon.

"It's Rei. Get her."

Not yet. Usagi jumped and caught Rei in her mouth, Rei's head sticking into the air. Usagi landed back in the fog, shook Rei back and forth.

"We're still in this fog," Rei yelled. "Hurry and—" Usagi slammed Rei's head into the ground four times, cracking the cobblestone and leaving imprints of her face in the exposed dirt.

Rei's eyes swirled. "Yes, Yuuichirou, your fire tastes wonderful." She laughed and then went quiet. Finally, one of them shut up.

A shadow appeared in the fog. Usagi threw Rei, and Rei collided with the shadow, sending them both backward. The fog cleared, revealing Rei on top of the brunette. Rei's eyes fluttered, and she rolled off the brunette.

"Rei!"

"Makoto!"

The cats, some blue-haired girl, and the blonde hurried to Rei and Makoto.

Saliva-covered Rei, whose face lay in the dirt near a fence, said, "Don't touch me."

Makoto jumped onto her feet. Usagi surveyed each of the girls. Which one should she eat next?

The blue-haired girl touched her earring. A visor appeared over her eyes, data scrolling across it, as Rei crawled to the girls, putting her hands in front and then dragging the rest of herself forward. The blue-haired girl looked right at Usagi.

"I'm going to figure out what's going on with her. Please, keep her busy."

"Right, Ami." Makoto and the blonde stepped closer to Ami while keeping Ami's line of sight clear.

Usagi growled. She licked her slobber from her lips and then charged again.

* * *

Courage rushed into the night, searching for any signs of the weremole. It was strange that the weremole's powers had transformed Usagi even though there wasn't a full moon. Maybe the weremoles in Japan were different than the ones in the United States.

The weremole had left behind a trail of upended cobblestones. Courage followed the trail until he reached the weremole. It sniffed the air, probably trying to smell rabbit blood.

Come to think of it, Usagi kind of looked like a rabbit. Maybe that was why the weremole had attacked her.

The weremole glanced at Courage and then returned underground, burrowing right under Courage and then headbutting him upward. Courage crashed onto the ground, chuckled like the whiplike pain was funny, and watched the weremole burrow in the opposite direction. He raced after it.

They soon reached Weremole Usagi and the rest of the teenagers.

Ami, focusing on Usagi, wore goggles with words scrolling across it. Meanwhile, Makoto and Minako held off Usagi with their bare hands.

Ami's eyes lit up. "I got it. It's a weremole. There've only been cases in the United States. The weremole bit Usagi and changed her into one. Usagi can be cured with—" She looked sharply to her left, where the weremole was burrowing toward her. Courage predicted where the weremole would go next and tackled it. Courage nodded at Ami, and she continued, "Usagi can be changed back with a hair from the weremole." She pointed at the struggling Courage and weremole. "The weremole's right here."

Ami lifted her goggles just as the weremole headbutted Courage into the air. She stepped forward and fumbled to catch Courage. He knocked her head back with his own head. Stars played across Courage's vision.

The weremole dove toward Ami, exposing its fangs. Courage jumped and reached for the weremole. He slammed a hand onto its head, plucked a hair and accidentally flipped onto it. They fell in front of Ami's blue boots. The weremole slobbered all over the cobblestones, thrashing about. Courage held down the weremole while clutching its hair.

A gloved hand grabbed Courage and whisked him into the air. Makoto kicked the weremole into the night sky, its red eyes giving a final twinkle before it disappeared. Ami held Courage while Minako shot multiple mini-hearts from her hand, into Usagi's face, keeping Usagi back.

"I'm not sure how much longer I can keep these Rolling Heart Vibrations up." A light sheen of sweat had settled into Minako's forehead.

Courage jumped from Ami's arms. He had no idea how Minako was shooting hearts from her hand, but she wouldn't have to keep shooting them for much longer.

* * *

Those hearts were getting annoying. All Usagi wanted to do was eat. Was that too much to ask?

That pink dog was running toward her. She snarled and leaped sideways, but that blonde kept shooting those pink hearts. Usagi dove toward the blonde, swatting the hearts and extending her claws. The dog tackled her again, and they rolled onto the cobblestones. The dog reached toward Usagi's mouth, holding a hair. Her eyes widened, and she turned her head away, toward Makoto and Rei.

Makoto glanced from Courage struggling to reach Usagi's mouth, to Usagi thrashing, and back. She stepped on Usagi's foot. Usagi stopped, pain exploding, turned her head to the moon, and howled, a bit of her human cry coming through. Courage dropped the hair into her mouth.

Usagi cupped her hands around her neck. She was choking, she was going to die. A bright light blinded her and then faded, leaving darkness.

* * *

The light from the crystal around Usagi's neck merged with the hair as it fell into Usagi's mouth. Usagi hacked, gripping her neck, and collapsed onto the cobblestones. The light enveloped her and soon faded, revealing a sleeping Usagi's hair as blonde once again, her skin no longer fur-covered, her nails no longer claws, and her teeth no longer fangs. Human again.

Once they returned to Usagi's home, the girls convinced Usagi's family that it was all a bad dream, although Shingo had said, "You expect us to believe that we all had the same dream." A statement, not a question.

"Yes," Minako replied.

"We mean," Rei said, nudging Minako, "that this has all been a nightmare that you probably won't remember in the morning. It's best for you all to go to bed."

Shingo snorted and muttered, "Not remember, my ass."

They did go to bed. Humans often missed the obvious strangeness of the world, like zombies and weremoles, so Courage wasn't too surprised that the humans went back to bed without protesting.

As long as Shingo didn't turn into a weremole, they wouldn't have a problem.

Makoto lay Usagi on her bed, and Usagi opened her eyes. She sat up, glancing at each of her friends.

"Usagi-chan?" Ami cocked her head. "How are you?"

"I feel woozy, but fine. I remember transforming into some kind of mole."

"Yeah. What was that all about, Usagi-chan, huh?" Makoto knocked Usagi's head, and Usagi flinched.

Usagi chuckled. "I don't really understand what you're are talking about. I mean, I remember bits and pieces of what happened, but it was like I was watching myself from above."

Rei crossed her arms. "You ate me."

"I remember that part." Usagi let a small grin grow on her face. "You tasted like candy, Rei-chan, which is strange, since you're usually so sour."

Rei scowled. Groans from the rest of the girls, Luna, and Artemis.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. For eating you, Rei, and that bad joke. I'd better apologize to Shingo too" —Usagi balled her hand into a fist— "though that little snot had it coming. I'm sure he'll think twice about messing with me now."

"Courage?" Luna said. Usagi and everyone else looked. While the girls had been teasing one another, Courage had been writing, as best he could, all about weremoles and the weremole incident in Nowhere, because if he told them, they wouldn't understand. He hopped from the chair at Usagi's desk and gave the paper to Luna. She read it aloud. Luna stumbled over a few words but filled in the blanks to make Courage's Japanese coherent.

"What Courage wrote confirms everything that came up on my goggles tonight," Ami said. "And it's consistent with what happened. Weremole usually target rabbits, though."

Usagi tugged her pigtails. "I do look like a rabbit. Maybe that's why it targeted me."

"There has to be something more to this, though. Weremoles' bites only affect humans when they see a full moon. The moon isn't full. Why did Usagi-chan still change into a weremole?"

"Unless it had something to do with the Dark Kingdom," Minako said.

"Makes sense," Makoto said.

Luna narrowed her eyes. "But if the Dark Kingdom helped, then why didn't Minako's chain turn her back?"

"Maybe the magic the Dark Kingdom was using was too strong," Artemis said, "and she could be changed back with only the Silver Crystal."

Courage examined the crystal around Usagi's neck as Luna explained to Usagi that it'd emitted a light that merged with the weremole's hair.

"That's my Silver Crystal, Courage," Usagi said. "It helps me defeat villains."

"The hair would've helped by itself," Ami said. "In fact, it should've. But one of the Silver Crystal's properties is to heal others."

"In that case, then," Rei said, "it should've turned Usagi back into a human right away."

"It probably needed a weremole's hair to help it. It might not have been powerful enough to turn Usagi back by itself, and neither was your chain, Mina-chan. I mean, if the Dark Kingdom had made the weremole more powerful, then only the Silver Crystal combined with weremole's hair could turn Usagi back."

What was going on? Why could these teenagers use powers, and what was the Dark Kingdom? Courage had seen stranger things, but it'd help to know what exactly was up with these girls and the talking cats.

Usagi said that they should explain everything to Courage, since it seemed like he'd be with them for a while and he'd helped them with the weremole incident.

The teenagers said that they were Sailor Guardians and could transform to fight evil, mainly the Dark Kingdom that was made up of four kings, three killed, and a queen. The cats could talk because they were from the moon, like all of the Sailor Guardians. Something about having past lives.

"Don't worry about all that, Courage," Usagi said. "You need help finding a cure, so we'll help you, no matter how long it takes."

Courage smiled. The teenagers and cats smiled at him, too. The Silver Crystal glinted in the moonlight.

He knew they would find the cure.


	2. An Ami Experiment

**Chapter Two: An Ami Experiment**

The apartment was, once again, empty.

Another evening of doing homework. No sounds except the ticking of Ami's bedroom clock.

Ami settled in the chair at her desk and got to work. No, not work. Fun.

Math, biology, and, more recently, astronomy were her favorite subjects. After she finished her biology homework, she would reward herself with the most enjoyable part, astronomy.

Since she'd found out that she and her friends were Sailor Guardians, she wanted to know as much as possible about astronomy. Maybe the knowledge, especially about the planet Mercury, would trigger memories from her past life.

For now, she had to concentrate.

But she'd been having a hard time concentrating lately. Part of it was the excitement of going to the moon. Mostly, though, it was her awakening as a Guardian. Such a big responsibility. Thank goodness she had friends she could talk about it with. Before, she would've kept her feelings and worries bottled inside. She was learning that she couldn't keep everything in anymore.

Nevertheless, she was a little lonely. She wished she had someone to come home to. If only her mama came home earlier every night.

She tapped her fingers on her desk. Maybe Usagi and her family wanted to be relieved from Courage.

When her mama came home from a day and evening at the hospital, she asked her if she could take care of Courage for a few days. Her mama approved, saying that she felt bad for leaving Ami home alone most of the time, a conversation that she and Ami had had countless times. Ami assured her mama that she was fine and it wasn't a problem because she had so much schoolwork anyway, and she brought Courage home.

Courage was different than other dogs.

She had noticed his differences before: he walked on two legs instead of four, he could communicate in English and Japanese and, mainly, his eardrum-shattering screams.

When Ami returned from cram school late at night, Courage would peek out from Ami's room, shaking. Once he saw that it was her, he greeted her with a smile, not with licks or by pouncing on her. Courage behaved like a human, bringing his own duffel bag with a toothbrush and soap and bathing himself.

In the mornings, Ami found herself sharing the bathroom with Courage, who would look for the cure while she attended school.

It was like Courage had walked straight out of a cartoon.

Ami did her best to help Courage find the cure, too. During her lunch breaks, she'd go to the library and read books about illnesses. Couldn't find anything about the illness, not even a name for it. She asked her mama, a doctor, about it, but she didn't know anything, either.

The Dark Kingdom was likely the culprit. It was strange that they had afflicted Courage's owners with such an illness when Courage and his owners hadn't done anything to them.

The fact that she couldn't find the cure or figure out why the Dark Kingdom had targeted Courage and his owners worried her.

She'd prided herself in her knowledge, the power it gave her to protect her friends since her own powers as a Guardian were weak. But now, even her knowledge couldn't help.

Despite the seeming futility of finding a cure, Courage got up at the same time every day and went out to find it, never complaining. At the end of the day, he slept at the foot of her bed. His warmth was welcome.

It was nice to come home to somebody.

* * *

Ami was different than Usagi in every way possible.

Courage watched Ami do her homework every night, straight through. No breaks every five minutes for a "quick" nap, or to play video games, or a twenty-minute bathroom break.

When she came home from school, she didn't greet Courage with a hug, but a smile. And she didn't talk to Courage much, except when she asked him if he was ready to eat or go for a walk. Usagi talked to Courage and Luna almost all the time about music and pop culture, saying she wasn't feeling the homework and would rather sleep. Luna told Courage that although, yes, Usagi was lazy, it was because of everything that had happened to her within the span of a few months. Courage could relate. He'd lost his parents in one day, but Muriel had taken him in within a few weeks. He'd gone from being an orphan and homeless to having an owner, friend, and home within a short time period.

Ami spent the evenings at cram school. She never told Courage why she went to school twice a day, but she came home with a smile and immediately started her homework, forgetting to eat until Courage brought her a sandwich, food that she told him was one of her favorites. She thanked him for his thoughtfulness, telling him that he was a kind dog and his owners were lucky to have him.

The days passed with tranquility. Courage left alongside Ami to find the cure. He came home in the late afternoon, and Ami arrived in the evening. Ami did her homework while Courage lay on her bed. Ami and Courage greeted Ami's mother when she came home late that night. Bedtime.

His life was calm and uneventful, things he wished for in Nowhere.

He wanted to protect the tranquility he'd found in Japan. So he'd protect the Guardians and the cats like he protected Muriel and Eustace.

* * *

One night, Ami did her homework while Courage lay at the foot of her bed. Ami wore headphones and listened to a CD from Peach Hips, a singing group of five teenage girls that Ami often imagined were her and her friends.

Peach Hips' voices were cut off.

Ami froze, holding her pen above her notebook, brow furrowed.

"Ami Mizuno."

The male voice was thick with a French accent. Ami stayed still. How was someone transmitting signals to her CD player?

"Ami Mizuno, come to, how you say, the train station. You will find someone you deeply care for there." His Japanese was broken, as though he had just learned and was still learning.

"What?" Ami said.

Peach Hips started singing like they had never stopped.

She dropped her pen.

At one time, she'd say that the only people she cared for were her mama and papa, but now there were others she loved and cared for.

She stood, taking off her headphones and grabbing her CD player in case the man started talking. She rushed to the kitchen and picked up the phone. Had to know if the one person she knew who couldn't defend herself was okay. She dialed the hospital's number and held the phone to her ear.

"You should get to the train station, Ami." That same voice.

"Who are you?"

The line went dead.

Ami turned to see Courage standing near her, holding his leash that he'd tied around his neck.

"Right, Courage, you're coming with me. I don't know if you'll be safe if you stay here." Ami took the leash and led Courage into the night.

On their way to the station, Ami tried calling her friends using her wristwatch communicator, but the voice intercepted, urging her to go to the station.

Courage was a smart dog, so Ami explained what had happened. Once she told him about the French-accented voice, he started babbling. Ami didn't understand a word he was saying, but from what she had gathered during the weremole incident, when Courage started talking, he knew something. Courage must know who kept intercepting her devices. He'd be a great help.

She and Courage reached the station. The completely empty station. No people or trains. At Ami's foot, Courage shook.

It wasn't even close to the time when the last train ran. Why was the station empty? _Who_ could empty a train station?

Must be Kunzite or Queen Beryl.

Ami, the weakest Guardian, was going to face one or both of them.

She let out a breath, trying to slow her heart. She had Courage on her side, but what if her knowledge wasn't enough to protect him, like it wasn't enough to find the cure and save his owners?

Her knowledge was her only power.

Transforming could bring attention to herself and Courage, but she'd rather have a fighting chance than find Kunzite or Beryl and be killed instantly.

She held up her pen and transformed into Sailor Mercury.

Transformations were colorful and bright. Someone must've seen her.

She listened for a few moments, clutching Courage's leash, Courage brushing her ankle. Not a sound.

Ami and Courage crept forward, their footsteps almost silent on the linoleum floor. Both of them darted their eyes, looking toward every sound to see nothing.

Every other light in the station was off, and the remaining lights were dim, one flickering. The farther they went, the more Courage shook, but he never slowed his pace.

"We should, how you say, get this over with."

The station burst into light from the television screens on the pillars and walls. A duck with styled blue hair appeared on each screen. Courage growled. He must've been trying to tell Ami about that duck earlier.

"I am Le Quack," the duck said. Ami scowled. Now a talking duck?

"I'll be blunt."

Ami's mama, tied to the railroad tracks, appeared on the screens.

"This is your mother." Le Quack's tone said it all. He knew that was Ami's mama, and there was no convincing him otherwise.

Ami didn't care that her mama might hear her and find out that she was a Sailor Guardian. All that mattered was that she be safe. "Who told you?"

"A friend from the Dark Kingdom. Kunzite." Le Quack said Kunzite's name slowly, as though his accent was making it difficult for him to speak Japanese.

Ami narrowed her eyes.

Le Quack replaced her mama on the screens, and he looked down. "Hello, you annoying dog," he said in English.

Courage's glare didn't waver from the duck.

"Where are you?"

"Keep going. You'll find me soon enough." The screens flicked off. Silence again.

The ceiling opened like a door. Ami looked. Something large and white encompassed her vision. Everything went black.

* * *

Ami fell to the floor, dropping Courage's leash. Le Quack landed on top of the unconscious Ami, holding the mallet that he'd used to erase Muriel's and Eustace's memories. He'd struck Ami with it.

Ami was going to become Le Quack's puppet.

Le Quack laughed. He'd lied about where he was. Did he lie about where Ami's mother was, too?

The duck swung his mallet. Courage leaped to the side, and Le Quack smashed the mallet on the floor. Ami stirred, moaning, but didn't get up.

Courage looked around. The train tracks were behind him. He backed away.

"I've finally got you, you stupid dog."

Le Quack jumped, lifting his mallet. When the duck was inches away from him, Courage bounded sideways, and Le Quack fell on the train tracks, hitting his head and making a sound between a quack and a howl.

Courage ran to Ami, lifted her overhead, and hurried deeper into the station. Hopefully, Le Quack hadn't lied about the location of Ami's mother.

"It's you."

Stars flashed in Courage's vision, and Courage slammed onto his back. Dizzy, he propped himself up. Ami stood in front of him, her expression dark. Out of the corner of his eye, Courage saw Le Quack peeking above the platform in front of the tracks, grinning.

"Tell me where the others are." Ami raised her hands, and orbs of water grew within them. "Or else."

Courage had no idea what attacks Ami could use, but he had to get to her mother. He ran away from Ami but deeper into the station. Maybe he could convince her that this was where "the others" were, whoever she meant.

Le Quack fell into step behind Ami, mallet in hand. Why wasn't he trying to stop Courage?

Ami's mother could get hurt, but Courage had saved Muriel and Eustace, two defenseless humans, multiple times. There was no reason why he couldn't save Ami's mother, too.

They reached Ami's mother, who was strapped to the railroad tracks, gagged with a cloth.

Courage looked. Ami was still behind him, but Le Quack was not.

A rumbling came from the distance. A train.

Courage's pupils contracted.

"That's _not_ who I was talking about, you stupid dog." Ami snatched Courage, twisting his neck so he couldn't breathe. "Dogs aren't as smart as people say they are."

Red bled into Courage's surroundings. Below, Ami's mother struggled, and the rumbling grew louder with every second.

Ami held her hand in Courage's face. An orb of water appeared. It didn't look like it would hurt much, but Courage had no idea of the extent of the Guardians' powers, and he couldn't risk anything now.

Courage bit Ami's arm, and she dropped him. He jumped toward the train tracks. Ami seized his ears. Ami's mother watched, her eyes wide with fear and confusion.

Ami smiled at the train's light that flashed from around the bend. She threw Courage toward the approaching train.

Although Courage was a tough dog and had withstood many things, he didn't feel like trying to survive getting run over by a train. He outstretched his arms, like his skinny arms would help against a thirty-ton train, but it was all he had.

Ami's mother screamed, "Ami" repeatedly, her hollers muffled. Ami laughed.

Le Quack was in the driver's seat, laughing too. "I've finally got you."

A glowing chain wrapped around Courage and pulled him from the train's path, into someone, and they fell on the floor. Courage looked into Sailor Venus' eyes.

"Hi, Courage."

Courage didn't say anything.

An anguished cry came to Courage's right. While Sailors Moon and Mars restrained Ami by the arms, Sailor Jupiter untied Ami's mother, grabbed her, and jumped onto the platform.

"No!" Le Quack slammed on the brakes, bringing the train to a screeching halt. "No! I almost had you—" He lay his head on the steering wheel, making it honk and block out everything he was saying.

Ami smirked, still restrained by Usagi and Rei. "I've finally got you all."

"Got us?" Makoto laid Ami's mother on the floor. "We've got you."

Ami chuckled.

Makoto stood in front of Ami's mother, who had fainted. Good thing, too. From what Courage had heard the Sailor Guardians say, no one was supposed to know about their alter egos. Maybe Ami's mother was another oblivious human who would think this all a vivid nightmare.

"We don't have to fight each other, Ami-chan," Usagi said.

As Minako and Courage got to their feet, Le Quack landed on the platform, raising his mallet, and rushed toward them. Minako stepped in front of Courage and slapped Le Quack's cheek, twisting his neck and making his eyes bulge. Le Quack collided with the floor. Amazing how much power a woman's slap had.

Le Quack threw the mallet. Minako glanced at Courage. "Dodge it." She jumped sideways. Courage jumped in the same direction, but the mallet caught his head. He crashed onto the floor, the hammer sliding away from him. Heard the Guardians calling his name, but their voices were far away.

Le Quack appeared in front of him, in the darkness. He raised six pictures—one of Courage, the five others of the Sailor Guardians. "These are your enemies. Kill them."

Yes. As soon as he killed the five Guardians, he would kill himself. Since Le Quack had said it, it was the right thing to do.

* * *

Sailor Mercury struggled against Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars, both of whom still restrained her. Sailor Moon pleaded with her to stop struggling, that they didn't have to fight because they were friends, but she was mistaken.

The Sailor Guardians, including Sailor Mercury herself, were the enemies. So, after Sailor Mercury killed the Sailor Guardians and that stupid dog, she would kill herself. Le Quack, her master, had said that they were the enemies; therefore, it was the truth.

Sailor Venus had slapped her master onto the floor, but he was too strong to be knocked out. He'd given Sailor Mercury a comrade in that annoying dog. They both knew that they had to kill each other once they took care of the rest of the Sailor Guardians.

Sailor Mercury kicked Sailor Moon's and Sailor Mars' knees, and the two collapsed, letting go of her. She faced them. Behind Moon and Mars, Jupiter guarded Sailor Mercury's mother. Although her mother wasn't the enemy and would be sad to see Sailor Mercury dead, she had to do what was best for Le Quack and kill herself.

Sailor Venus was crouched beside that dog. That dog's eyes snapped open, and he bit Venus' leg. Venus let out a cry, shaking her leg, that dog holding. While that dog distracted Venus, Mercury could go in for the kill.

Mercury flipped over Moon and Mars, landed behind Venus and that despicable dog. Mercury kicked the back of Venus' head, slamming Venus' head onto that dog, slamming Courage onto the floor. But Courage held fast to Venus' leg, although that dog was motionless.

A flash lit up the station. Jupiter had electrocuted Mercury's master; the duck was frozen, feathers and hair fried black, hand inches from his mallet. Her master's hair dissolved, and his feathers drifted to the floor, leaving his pink flesh exposed and head bald.

"How…" Her master coughed smoke. "…annoying." He fell on top of the mallet.

As Jupiter walked toward her master, she said, "That duck smells pretty good." She picked up the mallet and looked at Mercury and that dog. Moon and Mars stepped beside Jupiter.

"If I hit them again," Jupiter said, "you think they'll snap out of it?"

"It's risky," Mars said, "but it's all we've got."

"Mercury Aqua Mist!"

A fog covered the area. Ami needed to kill the Sailor Guardians somehow, but her only "attack" wouldn't do. And it wasn't like she could summon some power from within to gain a new power, like in anime that Sailor Moon squealed about.

A blinding pain sent her to the floor. Courage howled…

* * *

When Ami awakened, what she had done, turning against her fellow Guardians, all of it rushed back to her. She rubbed her pulsing head. Beside her, Courage used a pay phone to call the police while Makoto kept watch over Le Quack.

Ami walked to her mama, who slouched on a pillar. She hadn't been able to save her; she hadn't been strong enough to keep her mind once Le Quack had hit her.

She'd lost her only weapon, her knowledge.

Her mama's eyes fluttered open. "Ami?"

Ami brightened. "Mama, you're awake. Are you okay?"

Her mama looked over herself. No bruises or marks, even though she must have struggled against Le Quack when he'd captured her. "I am." She put a hand to her forehead. "I dreamed that a talking duck kidnapped me and tied me to railroad tracks. One of the stranger dreams I've had. And now you're in a sailor suit in the dead of winter."

Ami blushed. "Uh, right." She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry that I couldn't save you, Mama. I should've been there for you."

"There's no way you could've known that a duck was going to kidnap me, Ami, mostly because that's absurd, but also because it's impossible to know everything. Many times, while I'm working, I have to look things up when I don't know. And that's a lot of things. Sometimes, I have to refer my patients to others who know more than I do because I can't know everything, nor can I do everything." Her mama sat up. "This may be a dream, but I'll tell you this anyhow, Ami. You've been hard on yourself lately. I don't know why, but it seems as though you've been harder on yourself since you met Usagi. If you think that Usagi and the rest of your friends will suddenly stop liking you if you show that you don't know something, then they're not the right friends for you."

It was rare that her mama gave her talks like that. And she was right. As long as Ami did her best, then her friends wouldn't blame her. They'd love her regardless of her knowledge or I.Q. "Thank you, Mama. I'll keep that in mind."

"You're welcome." She closed her eyes. "I sure hope I remember to tell you all that when I wake up." She slumped.

* * *

Courage hung up the phone from the police. A warrant had been issued for Le Quack's arrest, so the police said they'd be over right away, but they _always_ took a long time to arrive, no matter what came out of their mouths.

Usagi walked to Ami and Courage. "How are you both?"

"My head hurts a little," Ami said, "but I'm fine, thanks."

Courage smiled and nodded. But Le Quack had traveled from France or the United States, wherever he lived, to attack Courage and the Guardians. How had he known that Courage was in Japan?

Le Quack started to stand. Ami shot out a bubble from her hands, encasing him.

The duck's eyes shot open. He poked the bubble, but it didn't pop. "Qu'est-ce que c'est?"

"I'm going to ask you a few questions," Ami said.

Le Quack spat, but the spit bounced off the bubble and pattered on his forehead. "As if my defeat here wasn't humiliating enough."

"Why did you come after us?"

"Because I wanted to destroy that dog. I couldn't care less about you and your friends, but that was the deal."

"Deal?"

"With the Dark Kingdom. They give me power so I can kill that dog and all of you."

"They're recruiting animals to work for them," Minako said. "They must be running out of ideas."

Courage shrank. Because of him, his friends were being attacked.

Ami rubbed Courage's head. "Don't worry, Courage. We don't blame you for anything."

Courage smiled.

"And you know these enemies who keep attacking us, right?"

He nodded. "Mm-hm."

"Then you're an asset to us. You've been helping us find their weaknesses and defeat them."

She was right. Courage had gleaned one thing from Ami and her mother's conversation: Not to be too hard on himself.

The Guardians returned to their civilian forms. The police arrived much quicker than they would've if Courage and his friends were in danger. They took Le Quack within custody, stuffing the bubble into the back of the cruiser that they'd driven inside the station.

"You have not seen the last of Le Quack." The duck coughed smoke that filled the bubble, and the police drove away.

"I didn't know police could drive in train stations," Makoto said.

"I didn't know a bubble could fit inside a police car," Rei said.

"If there's one thing I've learned since becoming a Guardian," Ami said, "it's that many things defy physics."

Courage found himself laughing, something he couldn't remember doing since Muriel and Eustace came down with the illness. He laughed at the humans' need to have everything make sense, at Le Quack's defeat. His friends laughed with him. Everything felt lighter; he'd placed the burden of finding the cure on himself, even since he'd met the Guardians. But now he realized that he didn't have to bear the burden alone.

"What are we laughing at?" Usagi said.

Courage laughed harder. The more he was with them, the more he felt like he was part of a team. No, something more than a team.

A family.


	3. Rei and Relaxation

**Chapter Three: Rei and Relaxation**

Rei swept the floors of the shrine.

It had been a few days since she'd taken Courage to stay with her, asking for him from Ami. Since Courage arrived from the United States, the Guardians were being attacked more often and by creatures that he knew. Rei wanted to study Courage, see if any of his enemies came after her next.

Besides, her grandpa didn't mind.

Courage was at her side while she read fire, trying to predict which enemies would strike next. At her side while she studied for school. At her side while she fed her crows, Phobos and Deimos. At her side when she met with Minako at the shrine—Minako was concerned about their past lives and what they would find on the moon, but Rei wasn't as worried; it was something she could handle.

Courage never left her side, except for school. From the second she awoke in the morning, Courage was there. He left at the same time as Rei in the mornings, walking with her for a few blocks before leaving her to search for the cure.

Was Courage planted by the Dark Kingdom?

It wouldn't make sense for Courage to help the Guardians against the weremole and, according to Ami, against Le Quack before being brainwashed.

Courage was nice to her, too. He went grocery shopping for her and her grandpa while he looked for the cure, once made dinner for her and her grandpa—macaroni and cheese with a bit too much cheese—and lay on her lap as she meditated. Distracting at first, but Rei started liking his presence.

Before she knew it, she was enjoying Courage, his companionship. At times, instead of getting together with Minako or the others, she'd sit on the shrine's steps and pet Courage while he lay on her lap, both of them watching the sunset. Courage's silence was welcoming; the others, especially Usagi, didn't know how to be quiet.

Rei had never thought herself a dog person until Courage had come. Phobos and Deimos didn't mind him, either, letting him approach their cages and not warning Rei of anything amiss about him. Rei guessed Courage was all right.

Of course the dog was all right. He was a dog. Courage had arrived suddenly, which was kind of suspicious, but Rei was suspicious of every other breathing thing on the planet, something she probably needed to work on. Something her friends taught her wasn't normal. Other people weren't untrustworthy or bad.

Now, she had Courage to care for her, someone else she cared for.

Rei put the broom down and watched Courage doze on one of the stairs. He was becoming part of her family.

* * *

A few days after facing Le Quack, Rei asked Ami if she could keep Courage, and he was passed to her.

Rei was similar to Ami in quietness but more aloof. She was so silent that Courage made sure not to make noise while she was around, although he slipped a few times, like when he screamed and bumped into a china cabinet after he'd seen crows' shadows on the walls at night. Rei said that they were Phobos and Deimos, her pet crows, and as long as Courage wasn't evil, they wouldn't bother him.

The crows didn't bother him. Courage guessed he wasn't evil.

Courage stayed near Rei because he was used to being at a human's side. He was always with Muriel back in Nowhere. After being in Japan for two weeks, Courage missed Muriel more than ever, and the Guardians helped fill that void. Usagi, Ami, and the standoffish Rei didn't mind that Courage was always with them. Then again, Rei was so hard to read that he couldn't tell if she minded.

Unlike the other Guardians, Rei seemed more at peace with the whole thing about past lives and being a Guardian. She lived her life in the present. Meditated every day. Her calm spirit spread to Courage. When he first started staying with her, he lay on her lap while she meditated and then he meditated alongside her.

As he meditated, he focused on his feelings for Muriel and Eustace, his mission to find the cure before something horrible happened to them. The hope that something horrible hadn't already happened to them. When Courage called their home one day, Muriel groggily answered, assured him that she and Eustace were okay, and that was all that mattered.

Courage adapted to the peacefulness of Rei and her shrine. She enjoyed helping children find charms for themselves and their parents. Rei looked cold on the outside, but she was as warm and loving on the inside as her friends. When Courage cooked mac and cheese, she appreciated it and didn't complain about too much cheese or macaroni.

And Phobos and Deimos didn't make fun of him like other birds, so that helped.

* * *

A new hot springs establishment had appeared overnight in the last week, near Hikawa Shrine, not long after Courage had come to stay with Rei. She decided to investigate.

She had asked about the hot springs from her classmates who'd gone. They said that the hot springs was run by a tall, human-like red cat wearing a white robe.

The Dark Kingdom was getting sloppy with their disguises.

Rei told Courage about the hot springs. When Courage started babbling, she interrupted, "Write it down, Courage. I can never understand a word you're saying."

Courage wrote that the red cat was named Katz, and he ran scams that led to humans' demise. Usually, no dogs were allowed in his businesses.

Rei took her communicator off her nightstand. "I'm going to call the rest of the girls. We're going there together."

* * *

The Guardians, Luna, Artemis, and Courage stood outside the hot springs, a hut with a small sign reading, "Katz Hot Springs" in rough Japanese. Just for Courage was a sign below the first saying, "No Dogs Allowed" in both English and Japanese.

"Seems like a typical place," Ami said. "But so have all the other places that end up being evil."

"I sense something ominous," Rei said. "I can't quite tell what it is." When Minako visited Rei, she told Courage that Rei had some kind of psychic powers and could sense evil.

The red cat parted the curtains that served as the entrance and stepped outside. "Hello. Welcome to Katz Hot Springs." The only thing showing that Japanese wasn't Katz's native language was his British accent. He put a hand on his chest. "I'm Katz." He roamed his sharp, yellow eyes over the group, lingering a little longer on Courage. "Come for an afternoon of leisure?"

Courage bit back a growl. Who knew what Katz was planning this time?

"Yes," Usagi said. "All of us."

Katz drew back one of the curtains. Nothing but darkness was inside. "You're welcome to come in." He scowled at Courage. "I'm sorry. No _dogs_ allowed," he spat.

The Guardians cast worried looks at Courage. Courage shook his head, tied his leash to a tree, and sat, thumping his tail on the ground like a good dog. If Katz's plan was to kill the Guardians, wouldn't he want to kill Courage, too? Unless Katz thought that it would be easier to get rid of Courage without the Guardians around. Or Katz was going to turn the Guardians against Courage.

Ami gestured toward Luna and Artemis. "But these two cats are welcome?"

"Of course. I, too, am a cat, after all." Katz smiled at Luna. She stiffened.

"Why dogs?" Minako said.

"I wouldn't want any dogs chasing the cats that come here."

"What a flimsy explanation," Minako said under her breath.

Courage willed the Guardians to go inside. That's what they came here for. And they'd proven that they could take care of themselves, which is more than he could say about Muriel and Eustace. Besides, Courage was good at taking care of himself, too, so they didn't need to worry about him.

The Guardians entered, Luna and Artemis at the rear, and they disappeared into the darkness. Katz gave Courage a chuckle and drew the curtain closed.

* * *

Rei and her friends looked around. Candles hung on the walls, giving enough light to see where they walked. Rei didn't hear any water, nor did she hear other people.

As they walked through the hut, Katz periodically looked back at the group, his eyes staying on Luna a little longer than necessary. Usagi moved closer to Luna, and Minako moved closer to Artemis.

"Where are the hot springs?" Makoto said. "This place didn't look too big from the outside."

"We're almost there. It takes a little while to reach them."

The ominous feeling Rei had gotten outside grew stronger. Something dangerous awaited them. The people who had gone to these springs came out fine. Usually, civilians would go to these shady places and be transformed or brainwashed.

Katz stopped. "Ah, yes, here we are."

The dimly lit, green springs were before them.

Water was not supposed to be green.

"I prepared these springs only an hour ago. No one's been inside them yet." His eyes, once again, lingered on Luna. "I have hot springs specially made for cats." His mouth twisted into a grin.

Luna shook her head, meowed. The group had no idea if Katz knew that Luna and Artemis could talk, but they didn't want to risk anything.

"The water's green, though," Makoto said.

"Yes," Katz hissed. "The water was prepared with a special chemical. It soothes you more than regular hot springs."

Ami opened her mouth.

"The exact contents of the chemical are top secret, my dears. Patented as well."

Usagi raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh..." She turned toward the entrance. "Well, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary here. We should get going. We all just remembered that we have an exam tomorrow."

Behind his back, Katz pushed a button. A gate came down from the ceiling and crashed onto the ground.

"But you're here now," Katz said. "Don't you want to have a day full of leisure?"

Makoto glared. "Are you going to give us a choice?"

"I'm afraid not. You see, Sailor Guardians, I have orders." He checked his wristwatch. "My mob should've taken care of that pesky dog by now."

The breath was knocked out of Rei. "What?"

Katz walked to the springs and roamed his paw above the water. "The whole reason I opened this hot springs business was to gather a nice mob of people to handle that dog and, by extension, you all. My boss gave me a special recipe that allowed the water to hypnotize people into doing whatever I commanded them. I figured you all would come to investigate sooner or later—rather, my boss did. He said that hot springs popping up overnight would be enough to gather your attention. And it did." He sneered. "Foolish girls. You literally walked right into my trap." He smiled at Luna, and she took a step back. "Not only did I create hot springs, including ones that cannot brainwash for myself and the lovely black cat—"

Artemis coughed.

"But I've also prepared hot springs for you all. Why not take a dip? All that fighting must become tiresome."

Makoto barked a laugh. "What's a cat like you going to do to get us in those hot springs?"

"Plenty, if necessary." Katz snapped his finger. Groups of people, arms hanging like zombies, eyes blank, skin a bluish green hue, rushed out of the darkness.

Rei couldn't waste time. Sure that her fellow Guardians could handle this situation, she faced the gate. "I have to go save Courage." She raised her transformation pen. "Mars Pow—"

A blur of bluish green collided with her, knocking her pen into one of the hot springs. She and the brainwashed civilian rolled onto the ground. Her eyes widened at the person apprehending her—one of her classmates.

Her classmate—couldn't recall her name—drooled onto Rei's face. Rei shoved her classmate off, but by then other civilians had surrounded her, pen nowhere in sight. She hadn't heard or seen the other Guardians transform, either; they were being restrained, too.

Rei had become more physically skilled since becoming a Guardian. She didn't have to be transformed to defend herself, but transforming made things easier. Nevertheless, if she transformed, she could hurt the civilians. She still had to get her pen back, though.

As she flipped over the civilians, one caught her leg and clawed her onto the ground. She punched, kicked them.

Artemis peeked through one of the civilian's legs, holding Rei's transformation pen in his mouth.

Rei dared not show any signs that she'd seen Artemis as the white cat crept toward her, dodging the civilians' flying body parts, their drool. The civilians hoisted her into the air and carried her toward the hot springs. At least now she was above everyone, so she could see that there were other groups around. She glimpsed her friends in each of the groups. Their transformation pens and Usagi's brooch were scattered around the area. Luna and Katz were gone.

One of the civilians yelped, and Rei began to fall. The other civilians scrambled to catch her, but others yelped, and she landed on the ground. Her pen flew, end over end, toward her. She caught it and crawled, meeting Artemis on the group's outskirts as several civilians hopped around, their ankles red with cat scratches. Rei took Artemis.

"Thanks, Artemis." She hurried toward the gate, carrying her pen and Artemis close to her. The civilians blocked her way, and she stopped. "You went into the hot springs to get my pen back, right? How are you still okay? And where's Luna?"

"Katz took her away." Artemis shrugged. "I guess it's a good thing that Luna distracted him. I doubt he'll hurt her, but we need to go find her. And I did have to dive into the hot springs, but I feel fine. Maybe those springs work only on humans." His fur was still white, green eyes still clear.

"We don't know when or if it'll take effect. It took a few days for it to take effect on the civilians, unless Katz can control when and when it doesn't take effect."

"Katz could've made it cat-proof. I mean, Katz is, well, a cat."

"Fair enough." Rei pivoted. Although Courage was in trouble, she had to help her friends, too. She'd seen where the transformation pens were. She had to get to them. Somehow.

She remembered where Usagi's brooch was. If Usagi managed to transform, then she could use Moon Healing Escalation to turn all the civilians back to normal.

No matter where Rei turned, though, civilians blocked her way.

"Put me down, Rei," Artemis said. "They're not after me. I'll distract them."

She stared at Artemis. He'd made it by himself before. "Okay. Be careful, Artemis." She put Artemis on the ground, and Artemis leaped onto a civilian's face, scratching, making the civilian stagger into the other civilians.

Usagi's brooch was at the other side of the room. Minako's pen was the closest to where Rei was. She rushed around the civilians that Artemis had distracted.

The pen lay on the edge of one of the hot springs. Rei snatched it. "Mina-chan! Mina-chan, I have your pen. Where are you?"

A muffled "Here!" from across the room.

As Rei hurried toward Minako's voice, Artemis fell into step beside her. She gave Artemis a smile, glad that she had an ally within all this chaos, and Artemis smiled in return.

"You should smile more often."

Rei blushed lightly—because of a _cat,_ of all things. "W-we're in the middle of a battle, Artemis. Save it for later."

More civilians blocked Rei. Artemis leaped, but another civilian knocked him aside. He fell and rolled into the wall.

Rei had to transform. She'd figure out what she would do once she transformed, but she couldn't handle all these people without transforming.

Holding her pen close to her chest, she said, "Mars Power, make-up!"

The transformation thankfully took a split second. She'd been in too many situations where a thirty-second transformation would leave her and her friends vulnerable for too long.

Sailor Mars faced the civilians. She had to get past them. Without hurting them. All of her attacks were designed to hurt others. And Artemis was knocked out. He couldn't help her.

She'd relied on herself many times before. She'd do it again.

* * *

Courage needed to see what was happening inside the hot springs.

He untied his leash from the tree trunk and then climbed the tree. There were no windows above the hut. He could break in from the roof, but he didn't want to be noticed, nor did he want to spoil whatever plans the Guardians had to defeat Katz.

"Going somewhere?"

Courage peered below. A group of people, all looking like zombies, had gathered at the base of the tree, eyes red.

"Katz told us about you." One of them standing at the front wore the same school uniform as Rei. "You're not getting inside. Rules are rules. No _dogs_ allowed," she spat.

"Oh, no," Courage said. Katz separated him from the Guardians because he knew that they'd protect Courage, and he'd created an army of people to deal with him.

The civilians started climbing the tree.

Courage looked around rapidly, muttering something he couldn't understand—a nervous habit. All the humans below must be the ones who'd gone to Katz's hot springs.

If Courage made it inside the hot springs quickly enough, he could avoid them altogether.

On top of the roof was a metal smoke stack. Courage lassoed his leash around the smoke stack and then, before he became too scared, leaped.

He fell head over heels near the smoke stack. Now he had to figure out a way to break the roof and get inside.

Some of the people reached the branch where Courage had been. They crouched, preparing to leap.

Courage's eyes lit up. He knew what to do.

He stepped away from the smoke stack and waved, danced in circles, sticking out his tongue and rolling his eyes like a madman. The people on the branch jumped. Courage ran away. They fell on top of one another, their combined weight breaking the roof, and they crashed on the hot springs' ground. Courage looked through the hole. They'd fallen on another group of civilians, Usagi crawling out from under the moaning, twitching group, laughing in pain. Courage knew that feeling all too well. Sometimes, the pain was so much that all he could do was laugh.

Usagi blinked, her eyes clearing. "Rei-chan, where are you?"

Rei, transformed into Sailor Mars, shoved civilians aside. She was across the room from Usagi, holding Minako's transformation pen, and Minako was across the room from Rei.

Artemis was lying, motionless, on the edge of one of the hot springs.

Courage sighed. "The things I do for love."

He jumped into the chaos. Landed on top of one of the civilians, sending them onto the ground.

Another civilian grabbed Courage by the ears and lifted him up, just in time for Courage to see Artemis growing in size, his fur darkening. Courage pointed at Artemis, shrieking, his tongue lolling out his mouth, growing a mouth of its own, and shrieking, too. Rei had turned her attention toward Artemis.

Rei pursed her lips. "The hot springs have no effect on cats, huh?"

Usagi had made it near Courage and Rei and watched Artemis, gaping. Ami, Minako, and Makoto had also somehow made it out and rushed toward their friends.

A red paw snatched Courage, grabbing his tongue and silencing their combined screams. "You pesky dog," Katz hissed into Courage's ear. "Making all that noise, we can't concentrate on our time together."

Courage croaked.

Katz grinned at Artemis. The white cat transformed into a catlike beast with huge claws that was larger than everyone in the hot springs. Probably everyone in Japan.

"I'm glad _he's_ been taken care of. Now no one will get between me and my lovely Luna."

"Evil spirit, begone!"

A ball of flame exploded onto Katz's chest, and he fell backward, his fur burning off. He still held tightly to Courage's ears.

"All right. Keep it up, Sailor Mars." Luna stood beside Katz and Courage.

Katz twitched. "I wish you hadn't done that."

Rei tossed the other pen to Minako and then stepped in front of Katz. "Turn Artemis back now."

"Venus Power, make-up!" Flashes of orange and yellow filled the hot springs. "I'm coming, Rei."

Artemis jumped in front of the civilians and the rest of Rei's friends, cutting them off from Rei, Katz, Courage, and two other civilians. Artemis roared.

This wasn't going quite as planned.

* * *

Holding Courage, Katz laughed and ran into the back, disappearing into the darkness, the civilians beside him. Rei and Luna pursued. Behind them, Artemis roared, and Rei's friends screamed.

Not good.

She trusted that they'd take care of one another. They always had.

They stopped at the back of the hot springs, Rei not daring to launch another fireball; Katz was swinging Courage back and forth, and she was afraid she'd hit Courage. The civilians moaned, "Rei," joining the moans of the other civilians moaning Rei's name behind Artemis, their moans echoing throughout the hot springs.

"You're the last one left, my dear," Katz said. "Fancy a bit of sport before you die as well?"

Rei grit her teeth. Had her friends been killed?

No.

She refused to believe it.

Not when, after all these years, she found friends who understood her.

Rei's voice came out, low and menacing. "What are you talking about, you bastard?"

"How about this? Let's make a deal. If you win this sport, I'll tell you what happened to your friends. If I win, you die."

"I have a better deal." Mars lit a flame at the tip of her finger. Katz didn't flinch. "You tell me what happened to my friends, or I light you up?"

"I'm afraid I have to turn you down for that deal." Katz handed a sweating Courage to one of the civilians, and the civilian held Courage above a boiling hot spring.

"If you decide to attack me, my associate will drop your dog into the poisoned water, and your dog will perish instantly."

A "meow" shook the hot springs. Courage shrieked like a squirrel. The civilian holding him startled, screaming with Courage.

Artemis, still transformed, stepped into the room, licking his paws. "Those girls were delicious."

The color drained from Rei.

Luna stepped back. "Artemis…" Took another step back. "You didn't…"

Artemis grinned, his fangs coated with blood.

Courage screamed louder than he had ever, the civilian screeching alongside him in response. Courage's ears, legs, and arms popped off his body, reattaching once his scream was finished.

Katz's tail flicked. "Nice job. I don't hate you as much as I did before." He eyed Rei. "Although, I suppose our deal is off. I still believe a bit of sport will be fun. Only now, if I win, my associate drops Courage, and that white cat will eat you as well. But if you win, there's a possibility that I'll let your precious dog go."

Rei set her jaw. "Okay." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Had she really lost her friends?

She didn't believe that Katz would keep Courage safe if she won.

But she'd play Katz's games anyhow and defeat him while she did.

"A sport of whale." Katz tapped the other civilian's shoulder, and he jumped into one of the hot springs. "Whoever jumps over my associate the most times, without falling into the hot springs, wins."

Rei nodded.

"Good luck, Rei-chan," Luna said. "I know you can beat him."

Katz crouched on the edge of the hot springs. "I'll go first. Cats always land on their feet." He jumped over the civilian and landed on the ground at the other side of the hot springs. He faced Rei. "You're next, my dear."

Rei stepped to the edge of the hot spring, prepared for whatever Katz had planned for her.

She jumped over the hot spring, approaching the civilian. The civilian watched, his red eyes never wavering. When Rei was directly over the civilian, he reached up. Rei stomped his hand with her high heel and then wiggled her heel, knocking both of his hands. He managed to cup her heel, pull her into the hot springs.

The world tilted. Courage's scream and the splash were faint.

Courage had been dropped, too.

Rei expanded, felt like she was rapidly gaining weight. Spikes protruded all over her body.

The strangest thing, though, was that she started breathing underwater.

She surfaced, looked at her reflection in the water.

She was a pufferfish.

Rei stared at herself for a long time.

Katz and the civilians stared, too.

Everyone was silent.

"You're not dead?" Katz finally sputtered. "I could've sworn I put the poison inside the pool." He rushed to the back of the room, picked up two vials, both labelled the same. "Wait a minute." He squinted. "One of these vials is filled with my transformation formula, not the poison. Who—? How—?"

"You should've kept as close a watch on me than you did to Luna," Artemis said.

Katz's eyes sharpened. " _You_ …"

Relief washed Rei. Artemis had never been brainwashed—just transformed. Like her and Courage, who had surfaced on the other side of the room as a pink yo-yo.

Rei briefly wondered how Artemis had gotten to the back of the hot springs to foil Katz's plans, but she dismissed the thought. She would worry about it after she decimated Katz.

Katz, who wanted to kill her friends. For no reason.

It felt as though a knot was burning inside her stomach. Rei opened her mouth, and a fireball shot out. Katz jumped sideways, and the fireball burst against the hut wall.

She was a fire-breathing pufferfish.

Courage yo-yoed into Katz, crushing the cat against the wall. He laughed in his cowardly, Courage-like way.

Artemis scooted to the side, letting the rest of the Sailor Guardians past him. Rei smiled, despite being a fish. All her friends had found their pens and brooch and transformed.

"What is going on, Artemis?" Minako said.

"I'll explain later."

"Don't worry," Rei said. "Courage and I will handle Katz."

Her friends stared.

"What," Ami started.

"The," Usagi continued.

"Hell," Makoto finished.

"This is one of the stranger days we've had," Minako said.

As Luna explained to them what had happened, Rei turned her attention back to Katz, who had slid down the wall. He swept onto his feet, pressing himself to the wall.

"A-associates," he said, "associates, help me."

The civilians ducked behind the hot springs.

Katz's eyes bulged. "Hey! Kunzite said that you all would do anything I commanded."

One of the civilians peeked above the hot springs. "Nope. This goes beyond our job descriptions." He ducked again.

Courage swung into Katz's legs, pressing him to the wall. Katz struggled, but Courage was too strong.

"You've tortured innocent people enough today," Rei said. "Interrupting people's relaxation time is unacceptable. Especially when you were only using them to get to us. If you have a problem with the Sailor Guardians, bring it to their attention directly, or else horrible things will happen to you. Like this."

She brought a fireball into her mouth, worked her mouth until she shaped it into a ring, and shot. Katz struggled more, his fur raising. Courage let go of Katz, and the ring surrounded and then clamped down on Katz. He flailed, rushed and jumped into the hot springs Rei was in, dunking himself underwater. After a few seconds of gurgling and then some more of nothing at all, Katz surfaced as a red submarine.

"I wish…you hadn't done that," Katz growled.

She opened her mouth, revealing another fireball. Katz unleashed supersonic waves from the antenna on his top. Rei jumped out of the hot springs. One of the more reckless things she'd done, especially since she didn't have legs.

Legs popped out of her bottom. She landed on her high-heeled feet.

"A high-heeled pufferfish," Usagi said.

"With long black hair," Makoto said.

"Stranger and stranger," Ami said.

Rei couldn't dodge the supersonic wave, and it exploded. She slammed into the wall, near Courage. Katz opened where she thought his mouth would've been and shot a spiked ball. Courage yo-yoed into it, batting it back toward Katz. He ducked, the ball passing overhead and through the wall, out of the hut.

Katz shot a supersonic wave and a spiked ball at the same time.

"Just dodge the wave, Courage. I have a plan."

Courage jumped aside, and Rei kicked the spiked ball, her heel engulfing it in flames. At the last second, she jumped sideways, but the wave exploded anyhow. She fell onto the floor, parting her eyes. The flame-covered ball smashed Katz, flattening him against the wall and lighting him on fire. He rolled on the ground, putting out the fire.

"This has not been my day." Katz went limp.

* * *

Sailor Moon raised her Moon Stick. "Moon Healing Escalation!" A sphere of light emerged from her Stick and passed over the crowd. Their red eyes returned to their normal eye colors, and the sickly hues of their skin faded. The civilians collapsed.

Then, the light passed over Rei, and she de-transformed into Sailor Mars. Courage and Katz also de-transformed.

"The hot springs should've lost their powers to transform others, too," Sailor Moon said. "They're perfectly safe now."

Ami took a civilian's hand and then let it drop onto the ground. "They're unconscious."

"Good thing." Makoto leaned onto her right foot. "I hope they don't remember what happened when they wake up."

Artemis shrunk into his normal size, his fur lightening into white. "Good thing everything's solved now."

Rei cocked her head. "What about the blood on your teeth, Artemis?"

"Just some dye I found in the back."

She was silent for a moment. "Dye."

"With the vials." Artemis nudged Luna. "While Luna was putting the charm on Katz."

Luna sighed. "Katz was trying to charm me. We were having dinner in one of the hot springs." She licked her lips. "That salmon was quite good, actually."

Police sirens rang outside of the hot springs. Courage groaned. Of course the police would arrive after everything was over.

"That's our cue to leave." Usagi led them out the hole that one of the spiked balls had left, and she and the rest of the Guardians de-transformed.

That night, at Rei's shrine, Courage dreamed about the beauty of Moon Healing Escalation, of its light passing all over the world, reaching into space and bringing his parents back to him. And he dreamed of laying on Muriel's lap in the farmhouse at Nowhere, with his mother and father on the rug.

His wish.


	4. Makoto in Business

**Chapter Four: Makoto in Business**

Makoto looked inside the oven, at the double chocolate fudge cookies she was baking. Almost done.

The civilians forgot the hot springs incident, and the hot springs disappeared overnight. Maybe Kunzite had made it disappear. Makoto was glad no one questioned its disappearance. Being buried under all those people had worn her out.

So she spent the next few days recharging herself by cooking.

She made all kinds of things. When the rest of her friends were busy, she brought Courage to her apartment so that he could taste her food. She forgot to give him back to Rei, she was having so much fun with the dog (Rei didn't mind, saying that Makoto could keep Courage as long as she wanted). Being with Courage relieved the stress of the past days.

Makoto and Courage spent a lot of time together. She lived alone, and coming home to Courage was a nice change of pace. Makoto cooked for both of them, and they had dinner together every night. She told Courage about her days at school, and he understood her. Makoto spent so much time making sure others were all right that she didn't check in with herself. Getting things off her chest was refreshing.

She told Courage about the shock and then the slow acceptance of finding out she was a Sailor Guardian. Having a group of friends who had gone through the process made things easier.

She told Courage about her isolation from being kicked out of every school she attended. She'd never made any lasting bonds because she'd been at each school for a short amount of time. Living alone didn't help matters. She'd been lonely before Usagi decided to be brave and find out the real story behind the giant, ass-kicking girl. She'd be eternally thankful to Usagi.

Was this what it would be like to have a husband, someone to share life's triumphs and setbacks? She sighed. She could only wish. As a Sailor Guardian devoted to Sailor Moon or the Moon Princess or whatever (that part still confused her), she was destined to never have a significant other.

She looked at Courage asleep on the chair in the living room outside the kitchen. Once her destiny as a Sailor Guardian came into fruition, she'd have to leave him.

She'd leave Naru and the rest of her classmates, too. She wanted to at least keep watch over them as a Guardian; what good was having powers if she couldn't protect her non-Guardian friends? Even though Makoto's duty was to protect Sailor Moon, Usagi and her alter ego had powers while most people didn't.

Too much to think about. Cookies were much less stressful than Guardianship, so she decided to focus on them.

* * *

Courage opened his eyes, stretched, and then walked into the kitchen, where Makoto was baking cookies. The past few days he'd spent with Makoto reminded him of the times when he would "help" Muriel cook, which meant that he would wait until Muriel's back was turned and then sneak a bite of whatever she was cooking. Which is exactly what Courage did while he was at Makoto's apartment. When Makoto caught him, she wasn't angry or annoyed but delighted. She let Courage taste her cherry pies and cookies and everything, asking him how her food tasted. Makoto's food was on par with Muriel's.

Courage made a game of sneaking food while Makoto wasn't looking. It reminded him of times with Muriel. He wasn't getting closer to finding the cure. He'd go out when Makoto went to school and come back before she did to greet her. She'd ask him how the search for the cure went, and Courage would shake his head. Makoto assured him that something good would happen soon—she could feel it. He believed her, but his belief was waning. He'd been in Japan for nearly three weeks without making progress.

He refused to give up, though.

Makoto told him about her day; her bad grades; the food she made in home economics that her classmates inhaled before the period was over; how she outperformed others in sports and that made her feel like she was at an advantage, so she'd pretend to be worse than she was. Like all the Guardians, Makoto was a beautiful person. Courage wished she thought better of herself.

"They're done." Makoto opened the oven, and the cookies' aroma filled the kitchen. Courage ran to the oven. She'd baked a flavor of cookies he had never heard of; he was excited to eat these.

Makoto set the tray of cookies on the stove. Courage reached for one. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something orange hanging out of the window. He looked. His eyes expanded.

The Cajun Fox was clamped outside of the window. Courage screamed and pointed. By the time Makoto looked, the fox had scurried away.

Courage opened the window, looked at the surrounding apartments and buildings. The fox was nowhere to be seen. Makoto poked her head out the window, too.

"What'd you see, Courage?"

Courage told Makoto about the Cajun Fox and how it had tried to eat Muriel and make a granny stew and he was afraid that the fox would come here and try to make a stew out of Makoto so they needed to do something quick.

Makoto stared at him, but at least she wasn't slack-jawed.

"Okay, by now, I've figured out that something has gone or will go terribly wrong whenever you talk like that and start shapeshifting. I'm gonna try to figure it out this time."

Finally, a human was taking him seriously.

"So you shapeshifted into a monster fox. You're saying there was a monster fox outside."

"Uh-huh." She was getting him.

"And this fox ate this old lady? That's terrible."

Close enough.

"This fox eats people, then."

Exactly.

"But now it's gone." She closed the window. "Don't worry, Courage. I'll keep a close lookout for him. He probably made a deal with the Dark Kingdom, too. Anyhow, let's enjoy these cookies. Cookies make everything better."

Except for the looming threat of the Cajun Fox. Courage's sweet tooth didn't distract him.

But the fox didn't come that night.

Courage didn't sleep all night, staying pressed near Makoto instead of lying at the end of the bed. The Cajun Fox not coming was worse than if he had confronted them as soon as he appeared.

The next day, after school, Makoto started cooking dinner and baking a carrot cake.

"One day," she said as she chopped carrots, "I'd like to open up my own cake shop. I don't know what's gonna happen with all this Sailor Guardian stuff, but it'd be nice to settle down with a husband and kids and a dog just like you." She put down her knife and looked at him with soft eyes. "You've been such a pleasure to have. I wish you didn't have to go back to the United States."

As much as he loved and missed Muriel and Eustace, Courage wanted to stay with the Guardians, too.

"We'll visit you every once in a while, Courage. That's a promise."

Courage nodded. He would, too.

There was a knock on the door. Courage recoiled.

Makoto opened the door. A man with sunburnt-looking skin stood in the doorway. Sunglasses covered his eyes.

"Good evening, sir," Makoto said. "Can I help you?"

Apparently, Makoto had never seen him before. Courage growled. The man could be another enemy. She gave Courage a look, and he gulped back the rest of his growl.

"Please don't be rude, Courage. I'm sorry, sir."

"That's fine, young lady. Your dog's only lookin' out for you." The man spoke with a drawl, like he had just learned Japanese. Like the rest of Courage's enemies. Makoto must know the pattern by now.

Hopefully, the man didn't have anything to do with yesterday's visitor.

But with Courage's luck, the man did.

* * *

Makoto studied the man in her doorway. Courage had warned of a fox outside and, while a part of her believed Courage—he'd been right the other times—she couldn't help but feel like Courage was on the paranoid side; he was hardly ever at ease. Besides, she _was_ a Sailor Guardian. She was pretty good at detecting danger.

The man wore an ironed button-down shirt and dark dress pants, like he'd come from work. A good sign. But the man's face was too ruddy, and his beard covered almost his whole face. His skin was the same red color as his beard. He also wore a top hat. Most people in Japan didn't wear top hats, especially businessmen. He had an American accent.

Was this the fox Courage had been telling her about?

Makoto didn't want to alert the "man" to her suspicions, so she'd hushed Courage.

"I'm sorry to bother you," the man said, "but I couldn't help but smell that _delicious_ aroma coming from this apartment. I love to cook, and I wanted to see so I could have your recipe."

She brightened. "You like cooking, too?" She blinked. "But, excuse me, sir, I've never seen you around these apartments before. Are you new?"

"As a matter of fact, I am. Moved into the apartment next door a few days ago."

"You mean, Takeshi-san moved out? I'm surprised." He'd been retired since Makoto had moved into these apartments several years ago. He'd said that he was finished with moving and traveling.

"He did. Said he wanted a change of scenery."

Strange. Definitely could be another one of Courage's enemies.

"Anyhow, I came here for some cake." He peeked around Makoto. "And there it is. May I?"

"Yes, of course." Someone who wasn't one of her friends was going to taste her food—a chance for an outside opinion. "I haven't started slicing it yet." She walked over to the cake, Courage close behind the man. "I'm not sure if it's finished cooling yet—"

"Yipe!" The man jumped, hitting his head on the ceiling and knocking his sunglasses off, revealing his cartoonishly huge eyes. Makoto had no idea people had eyes as large as that. Was it a medical condition? Maybe Ami could explain the phenomenon.

The man landed on his booted feet. He put his glasses on and then swiveled, facing Courage. "Excuse me, Miss, but your _dog_ pinched my backside."

Makoto suppressed a smile. "I'm sorry, sir, but my dog is very suspicious of strangers."

"Well, he's got nothing to be afraid of me for."

Courage didn't make another move. Maybe he'd been checking to see if the "man" had a tail. If the man had, then Courage would've told Makoto.

Either the fox was disguised well, or the man was actually a man.

"Now, where was I?" He faced the cake. "Yes, a slice of this wonderful cake." He glanced at Makoto, his sunglasses glinting. Makoto couldn't help but smile. Of course this guy was a man. Courage was a paranoid dog.

"Yes, sir, coming right up. I think it's cooled by now." As Makoto cut a big slice of cake, she thought that this is what it would be like to own a cake shop. Serving pieces of cake to customers and the cakes being so good that they bought a second, a third, maybe a fourth, take-home slice. People would keep coming and bring their families and Makoto's own husband and children would come to the shop to help. And Makoto would have a dog like Courage.

She could see it now. A full cake shop. Her shop would be the place people came for a sweet ending to their dates and nights out—the place for romance. Food meant love, and girls would bring their boyfriends there because the fastest way to reach a man's heart was through his stomach.

She put the slice of cake on a plate. "Here you are, sir."

The man took a bite. He stood straight up, like he'd been woken up from sleep. "That cake is _delicious._ Even better than I anticipated." He devoured the piece in one bite. "Another slice, please?"

Makoto's face lit up. "Yes, sir." She cut one, and the man ate that slice more quickly.

The man licked the frosting from his fork. "I should buy this whole cake. How much?"

Makoto glanced at Courage, who stared at her with his somewhat worried expression, but the dog didn't have anything to be worried about. "I'm sorry, sir, I baked this cake for myself and my dog. But I could bake another cake for you."

"Yes, yes. I think you're onto something, Miss. In fact, you could open up a whole cake shop."

Makoto gasped. "Really?"

"Yes." The man motioned for her to follow him. He stepped to the window, and Makoto was drawn beside him. He modeled his hands into a frame. "Picture it now: A cake shop in your name. Full every day. People would buy their wedding cakes there. Families would come and buy cakes. People who bought only one slice would come back and buy another, three, maybe a fourth slice to take home. Couples would come to end their dates there. Maybe propose there."

A grin spread on Makoto's face. "Yes…I can see it." It was like the man had seen her dream.

"I happen to be an investor in up-and-coming businesses. And you, my friend, have an up-and-coming business on your hands." The man stuck his gloved hand out. Makoto took it.

"My name's Cay. And yours?"

Behind her, Courage inhaled sharply.

"I'm Makoto. It's nice to meet you, Cay-san." Strange name.

"No need for '-san'. Just Cay."

"All right, then. Cay." She was sort of suspicious of the man. What if it was someone evil Courage knew, and it only ended up that the man had become good and moved to Japan?

The man's name sounded similar to Cajun, Courage's enemy's name.

But here was a chance for her dream to come true…and Courage was only a dog.

Courage ran up to her and started babbling, sounding like he was saying, "Don't do it" and "Don't trust him." Makoto patted Courage's head.

"Your dog seems to be awfully suspicious of me. I assure you, I mean no harm." His sunglasses glinted again. Of course he was trustworthy. Sunglasses and a too ruddy face screamed "trust." "I am an investor, and I want to help businesses prosper. Now, I'll invest in building your shop and handle the finances. All you have to do is bake the cakes."

This was happening.

"Do you accept my offer, Makoto?"

She saw her shop, Makoto's Cakes, the people crowding inside and outside, eating _her_ cake. "Yes, I do."

* * *

After "Cay" left, Courage couldn't stop shaking. He had a bad feeling about what was going to happen, and he wasn't sure why Makoto seemed to trust the fox so easily. That fox must be hypnotizing her somehow.

He wrote all the tactics and tricks that the Cajun Fox had used to try and steal Muriel. Makoto read the paper several times.

"He's trying something different here. He's trying to be sneakier, if this guy is really the Cajun Fox."

The Cajun Fox had disguised himself many times when trying to take Muriel. At least Makoto didn't seem to be hypnotized anymore.

Another thing that didn't fit into the equation—how the Dark Kingdom was helping the fox.

Courage figured that the Dark Kingdom let the weremole's bite take effect before a full moon and made it so only the Silver Crystal combined with its hair could turn a transformed weremole back into a human. (Shingo and Rei had never transformed into weremoles, so the Sailor Guardians were finished with weremoles.) The Dark Kingdom let Le Quack communicate through Ami's earphones and strengthening Le Quack's mallet. The Dark Kingdom gave Katz brainwashing, transformation, and poisoning formulas to pour into his hot springs.

The Dark Kingdom must've taken away the fox's tail so Courage couldn't find it. Maybe the Dark Kingdom helped the fox hypnotize Makoto so she'd take the offer; that was why she didn't tell her friends about her new cake shop.

And the man was supposed to come later that night to go over a few things with Makoto.

Courage shook more vigorously.

There was the knock on the door.

Makoto looked through the door's peephole. Her expression remained neutral. It looked like she was looking at things rationally.

She opened the door, and there was Cay.

"Good evening." Makoto was alight with a smile. "Come on in. I'm ready for the details."

Cay stalked in, his sunglasses gleaming. Makoto stood ramrod straight. More hypnotism? "My contractor was so excited about your business that he's already built it. The only thing that I need is your cake recipe, for the assistants to help you bake your cakes."

"That's nice, but I can handle it all on my own."

" _What?_ " His yell shook the windows.

Makoto took a step back. "I think you're overreacting, sir."

"I don't know if you grew a brain between now and a few hours ago, girl," the Cajun Fox said, stripping away his hat, dress shirt, and pants, his tail lolling out, "but I am going to open up this shop, and you are going to bake cakes for me, and the public will love your cakes, and"—he shoved his sunglasses into her face, revealing his giant eyes— "my sunglasses will hypnotize you, darn it. Do you understand me?" the fox shrieked.

Makoto snatched the sunglasses.

"Uh-oh," the fox said. "Kunzite told me not to take those off."

Courage pointed at the giant eyes and told Makoto that that was the Cajun Fox.

"Wait a minute. Courage was right."

As always.

"Then, if you're here, and you're actually the fox, that means…" She rushed out of the apartment, leaving Courage alone with the fox.

Courage straightened. "Listen, fox, I don't know what your plans are, but I won't let them work."

The fox shot over to Courage and gripped his neck. "The plan might have gone haywire—some elaborate plan to turn everyone against her—but I can still wring you apart with my bare hands. I don't care what Kunzite does to me." He glanced at the oven, the cake inside rising. "Better yet…" The fox jumped over to the oven, opened it, almost throwing the door off its hinges, took out duct tape from his pocket, slapped the tape over Courage's mouth, and smashed the dog inside the cake batter. The fox snatched the cake with Courage inside. He jumped out the unopened window, shattering it, and fell into the night.

* * *

Makoto burst into the apartment. Tied up in the corner, hands, legs, and mouth bound with rope, was Takeshi, the older man struggling against his restraints. She untied him, asked him what happened.

"This is going to sound crazy, but a fox tied me up. He told me that he needed me to be quiet while he stayed here a few days. Said he was going to have his revenge on that dog if it was the last thing he did."

"Seems to be all these animals' stories. I knew something had happened to you, Takeshi-san." If only those sunglasses hadn't hypnotized her. By now, since all of Courage's enemies so far had used some sort of brainwashing, she should've been more alert. "I'll take care of everything. You won't see that fox inside here again." She rushed back into her own apartment.

The fox, Courage, and the cake were gone, the window shattered.

Makoto transformed into Sailor Jupiter. She took her communicator and called each of her friends, saying, "Everyone, there's no time to explain what happened, but a fox captured Courage. We need to go save him. I'm not sure where he went, but he couldn't have gone far from my apartment. I'm on my way to go find them. I'll keep you updated."

Before they could reply, Makoto jumped out the shattered window, into the night. As she fell, she saw no signs of the fox, no clues as to where he took Courage. Once she landed, she asked a wide-eyed bystander if he'd seen a fox carrying a cake. The man pointed into another alleyway, saying that it was the strangest sight he'd seen. Makoto thanked the man and hurried into the alleyway.

The fox had put Courage into the cake. like he'd once tried to put Courage's owner into his stew. Probably going to eat Courage himself.

On the other side of the alleyway was a building with a sign reading, "Makoto Kino's Cakes."

The sign on the front of the door read, "Grand Opening Today! Free Cake to Whoever Comes First!"

A long line was forming.

Makoto had a feeling which cake the fox was going to sell first.

She grit her teeth and pushed through the line, saying, "I'm sorry, but this is an emergency" and "Excuse me, but I'm in a hurry," ignoring people's exclamations and questions about her outfit. She managed to get near the front of the line. The young man at the front asked the fox behind the counter, "Am I the first one here?"

The fox shrugged. "Unfortunately, you're the second one. The first person just left with his cake."

Makoto glared. She didn't know how the Cajun Fox had baked that cake so quickly, but it seemed like Courage and his enemies operated on a whole different plane than reality. Took some getting used to.

"But I know Makoto."

Makoto whipped her head around. Naru and a few more of her friends from school had come. Word traveled fast.

And Makoto was in her sailor suit.

Makoto ducked, shuffled toward the exit. Thankfully, her friends' backs were to her, so they didn't see.

"Oh, there's Mako-chan."

Makoto cringed. If she kept going, maybe things would work themselves out.

"Where are you going, Mako-chan? This is your shop, after all. And why are you in that strange outfit?"

"The guy at the counter's wearing a fox costume, too. Is this a hybrid cake and costume shop, Mako-chan?"

Makoto pitched her voice a bit lower. "I'm sorry, but you have the wrong girl, young lady."

"You have the exact same hair and height, though."

"Long lost twins?" someone else said.

Makoto might as well keep going and explain later. They'd probably forget, like Usagi's family had forgotten, or written off, the weremole incident, it was so strange.

She jumped over the counter and grabbed the fox by his green apron, with "Makoto's Cakes" etched in pink glitter. "You're coming with me." She looked at the gaping crowd. "I'm sorry, everyone," she said, her voice heightened in politeness, "but Makoto's Cakes will be closing early tonight. Please keep us in mind for your next cake purchase."

"Mako-chan's kidnapping her own employee!"

"That's horrible."

"I'll say. How dare she close this shop so early? It just opened."

Makoto jumped over the counter again. Naru and her classmates blocked the back door, and the rest of the crowd blocked the front door.

"What's going on, Mako-chan?" Naru said.

"You guys have to move. Trust me on this." Makoto didn't want to get rough, not after finally getting a good reputation. Even with Usagi's and Ami's help, she didn't know if she could rebuild her relationship with her classmates if she destroyed the trust between them.

"Why should we move?"

"Mako-chan, you have to tell us what's going on. And what's with that outfit? It's the middle of winter."

Makoto didn't want to lose her temper, either.

She jumped over her friends and out the window next to the door, crashing through it.

"Whoa!"

"Holy…"

She'd gain a reputation as a crazy, cake-shop-owning fox-napper.

As she ran down the street, she heard footsteps behind her. She looked. Naru and her friends were following.

"There has to be a good reason for this, Mako-chan."

"We should save that poor man."

Makoto decided to ignore her friends for now, and she didn't dare try to reach her communicator in her pocket, fearful that the fox would try something while one hand was off him. She hissed to the fox, "You'd better help me find Courage, or else. I don't care who's watching."

A high school boy walked in a crowd, a box reading, "Makoto's Cakes" imprinted on it. The box shook.

"Strange cake you've got there, boy," a man beside the boy said. "You sure there isn't a dog inside there?"

"Hey!" Makoto called. "Give me that cake."

The boy looked at Makoto, took all of her in—her outfit and the fox in her arms. The color drained from his face. He clutched the box close to him and disappeared into the crowd.

"Don't run. I'm Makoto, the owner of the cake shop you bought that cake from."

"Get away from me, you crazy fox lady."

Makoto shoved her way through the crowd. A blow from above sent her to the ground. Stars exploded in her vision, and her eyes swirled. The fox was snatched from her grasp.

"Poor fox…"

Makoto shook her head of the pain, only to be pounded by a purse. She crashed back onto the ground.

"Keep away from the fox, you." An old woman's voice. Now innocent people were turning against her. Was this part of the Dark Kingdom's plans, too?

"Are you okay, Mr. Fox?"

Makoto peered up to see the fox remove his sunglasses, revealing his googly eyes. "Just peachy, m'lady."

The old woman screamed, let go of the fox, her hair raising. A man beside the woman screamed, then someone else screamed, then another, and then everyone was screaming.

"If you want to knock someone out" —the Cajun Fox took out a giant hammer from his pocket— "I do believe that this will be more effective than a purse." The fox swung the hammer, and Makoto caught it in her hands.

"Wow, she's strong," someone said, and the screaming became louder. Everyone screaming at her power. Something Makoto never wanted to relive.

Makoto lifted the hammer and, by extension, the fox, whose eyes went beyond the impossible and grew larger.

"You're coming with me," Makoto growled, "and you're going to help me find this person who took Courage. Tell me any clues about where this person might be."

With his toes, the fox took out a feather from his pocket. Tickled Makoto's armpit with it. Makoto laughed, dropped the hammer onto her foot. Her laugh turned into a howl, and the fox scurried off.

"That man wasn't as nice as we thought," Naru said. "And I'm starting to think that man's really a fox."

"Who's Courage?"

"A dog that that fox put inside my cake without me knowing." Makoto examined her swelling foot. As if things weren't hard enough already, now running would be a bitch.

Another of her classmates pounded her chest. "We'll help, Mako-chan."

"No, I can help myself, but thank you. Honestly, I think it might be too dangerous for you all."

A fox-shaped silhouette dashed across the rooftops. She couldn't waste time going after him. She needed to find Courage.

She reached for her communicator to tell her friends of her whereabouts, but it was gone. It must've fallen out during her scuffle in the crowd.

The fox stopped, peered into a window on the building across from the one he stood on, and turned around, facing Makoto, who was still on the ground. She scaled the building the fox was on, a bell tower. That fox was hiding something.

Makoto stepped near the fox. "Something I should be interested in?"

"Your dog is inside there." The fox pointed inside the window he had peered in. "That boy just got back inside his apartment, and he's about to eat the cake and your dog." He spread his arms. "You'll have to get past me if you want to get to him."

Makoto scowled. She looked past the fox to see the boy sitting at the table, a slice of cake on his plate.

Courage was going to be eaten.

She let out a noise she didn't know she could unleash.

"I'm the animal here," the fox said.

Makoto was sick of the fox and of his cunning, maniacal ways. It was time to end this.

The antenna extended from her tiara. It drew energy from the atmosphere, and electricity crackled around it.

Inside the apartment, the boy rubbed his hands together. Getting ready for some delicious dog cake.

"Supreme Thunder!" A bolt of electricity shot from her antenna.

The fox took out a rubber ball from his pocket and let the electricity shock that. The lightning was neutralized, and the fox threw the ball into Makoto's stomach, felling her.

"Thanks to Kunzite, I know all about your powers, Sailor Jupiter."

Makoto charged the fox while, inside the apartment, the boy searched the table and then got up, disappearing from her sight, leaving the uneaten cake on the table. Must've forgotten a fork.

She grabbed the fox. He crushed his hammer onto her head, and Makoto saw flowers dancing on a beach. Recovering from her haze too quickly for the fox to take advantage, she threw the fox into the bell and then threw the rubber ball onto the bell so that it rang. Heard the fox clanging around inside, yelping. She grabbed the fox's leg and pulled the vibrating fox down. The fox laughed like a witch and then went silent.

She leaped into the apartment, into the boy by mistake, and they crashed onto the floor, the chair screeching across the room. Makoto heard a muffled, "Yes!" from the cake. Courage?

The boy quaked. "I-I-I was just eating cake."

Makoto pressed her face to the boy's, and he recoiled. "You already ate some?"

"No, no. If you want some that bad, you can have some. No, you can have it all. Take it all."

Makoto got up. Courage was smashed into the cake but alive.

Usagi and the rest of the Guardians, transformed, burst inside the apartment, Usagi holding Makoto's communicator.

"We're here." Usagi whipped her head in all directions. "What's going on? Who needs to be cleansed? What monster needs to be vanquished?"

The rest of the Guardians looked from Courage inside the cake, to the unconscious Cajun Fox, to the boy, who was stunned speechless.

"Oh," Ami said. "So, so everything's taken care of."

"Yes," Makoto said slowly. "Everything's taken care of."

"Why are there girls in miniskirts in my apartment?" the boy said, finding his voice to ask that essential question to the understanding of everything that had happened tonight.

Minako waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. You're dreaming. You'll wake up in a few hours, and this'll all be over."

"Of course. A dream. That's logical." The boy kept gawking at the unfolding scene.

"So…" Usagi said. "We came across Naru-chan and the others from school. They told us where to find you."

"They saw everything," Ami said. "If we keep this high-profile crimefighting up, we might need to invest in a memory-erasing device."

"So, Courage," Minako said, helping the dog out of the cake, "wanna call the police for us again?"

* * *

A few days later, after the fox had been taken to prison for endangerment of society, thanks to a memory-erasing television program Luna, Artemis, and Ami created and aired in the middle of a popular television program, the Cajun Fox incident was forgotten among the masses, and the status quo reigned once again. Before the memory-erasing program was used, though, Makoto told Courage that people hailed her as a hero who dressed in a strange sailor outfit. They admired and respected her, and they didn't see her differently, only as a regular girl who was stronger than they thought.

"I liked the attention, Courage," Makoto said after the memory wipe. "People realized that strength goes beyond physical abilities."

Courage had been taught that lesson as well. The Sailor Guardians were his heroes, too. They gave him encouragement that the cure was within his reach.

With their help, it soon would be his.


	5. Minako the Royal

**Chapter Five: Minako the Royal**

That fox and the duck had said that Kunzite and the Dark Kingdom was behind the recent attacks. A last hurrah to take out the Guardians.

Minako, the leader of the Guardians, would never let the Dark Kingdom triumph.

So, with her mama's permission, she brought Courage to her house.

She'd offered Makoto to walk Courage and then taken him home with her. Told her mama that she found a homeless dog and wanted to care for him until she found a permanent home. Her mama bought it, especially since she had Artemis. If only she could get over on her mama like that all the time.

When Minako called Makoto about taking Courage home, Makoto hadn't been angry. Just given a classic Mako-chan joke, that she'd shrivel up and die alone without a dog to keep her company.

As far as Minako knew, Courage enjoyed hanging out with Artemis while she was at school. It must be nice for Courage to interact with a fellow animal, although Artemis was one of the least cat-like…cats she knew. Courage wasn't dog-like. Probably why they hit it off.

Minako got along more with Courage than Artemis; the dog didn't lecture her or nag her to clean her room and do her homework. Courage watched her play the Super Famicom and then took a try at playing himself, losing within five seconds of picking up the controller, killing Mario in a pit of lava.

The only thing she didn't like was that Courage had been around for pretty much the entire month, and they hadn't gotten closer to finding the cure.

If only Minako could do something. Then again, there were plenty of diseases that didn't have cures. Maybe Courage's computer was wrong, and there was no cure in Azabu-Juuban.

Courage, Minako, and her friends had exhausted all the medicine shops and pharmacies. Was the cure something exclusive to Azabu-Juuban, like a plant? Ami said that Azabu-Juuban didn't have any unique plants.

As the Guardians' leader, Minako should've figured it out by now.

She failed Courage. He had traveled all the way from the United States only to not be able to find the cure, not even get a hint as to what it could be.

Nevertheless, Courage and Artemis went out every day to search for it.

Minako would make sure that Courage found the cure. The dog was too good for something bad to happen to him.

* * *

Minako was eerily similar to Usagi.

Both loved video games. Both hated schoolwork. Both loved manga. Both loved CDs. Their rooms looked similar, with manga and CDs and posters all over. Even their moms looked the same.

Courage asked if Minako was sure that she wasn't related to Usagi.

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Artemis said.

Minako put a fist on Artemis' head, screwing him into the carpet. "No, we're not related."

While Minako was at school, Courage talked to Artemis. The cat was similar to Courage in personality, sort of wary all the time.

Artemis accompanied Courage when searching for the cure. Humans in Japan were like humans in the United States, not minding that a dog and cat were walking into their shop, the dog on two legs instead of four. Minako's mom noticed how self-sufficient Courage was. She told Courage that he was smart enough to walk himself. And he did.

Minako gave herself a lot of responsibility. Artemis told Courage that Minako was the Guardians' leader and had been a Guardian for the longest. Although she had a happy-go-lucky personality, she took her role as leader almost too seriously.

Courage spent time with Minako once she got home from school, walking with her around the neighborhood, watching her play video games and encouraging her alongside Artemis, the cat letting her complete a level and then telling her to start her homework. Maybe Minako wasn't so serious about school because she was focused on being a Guardian.

Courage told Artemis about his thoughts, and Artemis said that he'd suspected as much. The next day, he let up on her, leaving Minako wondering what happened to the nagging Artemis. He told her that she deserved a break. She enjoyed her evening with Courage and Artemis, playing video games instead of studying for her test the next day.

Spending time with friends was what truly mattered.

* * *

At school the next morning, Minako spoke with Hikaru, her best friend who looked like Ami's twin. Minako once asked Hikaru if she was related to Ami Mizuno, but Hikaru said that she'd never heard of Ami.

Hikaru was up to date on all the gossip and goings-on of not only the school, but also pop culture. It happened that pop culture and school were going to combine.

"There's a famous director coming here, to our school, for a casting call," Hikaru said. "He's looking for fresh, young talent. The next big star."

Minako's eyes twinkled. "That could be me. No, that _will_ be me." She'd always wanted to be an idol. The more exposure she got, the better. Being on T.V. would be a warm up for her future career as an idol. Besides, idols were on T.V. shows all the time.

Being a Guardian was important, but she wanted to be an idol, too. She could be a Guardian first and an idol on the side. Unrealistic, but possible. Or use the seven hours she wasted in school being an idol instead.

"Mina-chan?" Hikaru waved her hand in front of Minako's eyes.

Minako startled. "What?"

"You were chuckling to yourself. One of those creepy chuckles, like you were going to take over the world."

Her expression darkened, and she deepened her voice. "Maybe I will one day, dearest Hikaru."

Hikaru drew back. "That's…scary."

"Just kidding. Anyhow, what about this famous director?"

"His name is Benton Tarantella, and he directed the American movies _Reservoir Cats_ and _Kill Lil._ He's coming at the end of this week. He needs someone to help on his new project, called _The Last Idol."_

"Ooh, sounds depressing." Minako wasn't sure if she, a future idol, wanted to be in a movie called _The Last Idol._ She planted her foot on her desk, her pen flying into the air. "But I'll try out for it anyway." She pumped her fist. "And I will get the lead part."

As Minako took a math exam, she daydreamed about how well she was going to do on that audition. She'd dance in there, singing a tune, the director would fall in love with her, and she'd get the part instantly.

She turned in her exam and went home. Returned to school the next day.

Her teacher held up the exams. "I have the results of yesterday's exam." She passed them out, Minako daydreaming about her life as an idol. Who needed school when she'd be an idol one day? Heck, who needed school when she was a Sailor Guardian and held the whole world in her hands?

Her teacher lay Minako's exam facedown, and Minako flipped it up.

"Negative ten?" Minako blurted, her eyes bulging. Several of her classmates looked at her. A negative ten was her score? It had to be a mistake.

Her teacher crouched by Minako's desk, pointed at the answers on her paper, and said quietly, "You got all the questions wrong" —she pointed to the name blank— "and you lose ten points for forgetting to write your name."

Minako stared ahead blankly.

A student who was strangely similar to Usagi and sat beside Minako waved her paper. "Mina-chan, I did worse." On her paper was circled, "-20." As in, negative twenty.

* * *

Getting a negative score was okay with Minako. It might have seemed like she'd cared, but she didn't. Really.

She resolved to watch _Kill Lil_ to get a handle on the types of movies Tarantella made. Then, she'd be prepared for the auditions that were right after school tomorrow.

Once she got home, she popped a VHS tape of _Kill Lil_ into the VCR and sat on the couch, leaning forward to concentrate. Her mama came into the living room.

"Minako, your teacher called and said that you all got math exam results back. How did you do?"

Minako balled her hand into a fist. Damn her teacher. "I did well, Mama."

"Show me your exam. I want to see your score."

Might as well be the end of her evening. No, not just her evening. Her life.

She slowly pulled the crumpled exam out of her bag, handed it to her mama.

Her mama unfurled the paper. Was quiet for a while.

"Turn that movie off." Sounded like she'd been possessed by a demon. "Get upstairs and study now."

Minako glared. This was how she dared treat a future idol? "But Mama, I won't get to watch this movie."

Red filled her mama's eyes, like Minako was a red flag and her mama was a bull that would charge her.

Minako stood. "Okay, I'll study."

In her room, Minako tapped her pencil on her history textbook. "How am I supposed to become an idol if I have to study thirteenth-century Japan?"

"You won't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been," Artemis said, laying beside Courage on the bed.

"Don't give me that clichéd crap, Artemis." Tapped her pencil some more. "Erm, well, since I _am_ a Guardian, I should know about my past. So we can create a better future. One that isn't plagued by the Dark Kingdom and bad guys like that." She shot out of her chair, and Courage scrambled backward on her bed. "But now! It's time for me to practice for my audition. The first audition of Minako Aino, idol and movie star." She pointed at Courage and Artemis. "And you two are going to help me."

"You're supposed to be studying."

"Studying to become an idol is more important."

Artemis eyed Courage. "There's no helping it. Once she gets like this, she's impossible to deal with. Maybe it's an indication of how she'll be as an idol."

Minako squeezed Artemis' tail, and the cat yelped. "How dare you speak that way to a future idol?"

She practiced with Courage and Artemis, casting herself for lead roles in imaginary movies, into the wee hours of the morning.

Exhausted, Minako trudged out the door for school, almost nodding off. Her mama caught the door before it closed and said, "Minako, come home as soon as school is over. I want you to study and do all your homework right away."

Minako perked up, wide awake. She whirled around to face her mama. "But I have an audition after school for a part in Benton Tarantella's movie. I can't miss that."

"You will today."

Minako opened her mouth. Her mama raised a finger, eyes filling with red again.

Not wanting to take a chance at losing her life, Minako silently left for school.

* * *

Worry settled in Courage's stomach. Minako hadn't said _who_ was holding the casting call.

Courage had a feeling that it was Benton Tarantella. He figured this out after Minako left, probably because she'd kept him up half the night and destroyed his critical-thinking skills.

Even if it wasn't Tarantella exactly, it could be one of his descendants or Errol Van Volkheim.

Courage had to go to that audition. Better yet, he'd find Tarantella before the audition started, stopping the zombie before he got his hands on anyone.

He explained his worries and plans to Artemis. Luckily for him, Artemis was as much of a worrywart as Courage.

Together, they left the house to foil Tarantella's plans.

* * *

Minako dragged herself toward school, cursing her mama. How dare she forbid a future idol from going to an audition?

She could tell her mama that she was studying at the library today… Her mama would never go for it. She was too sharp.

On a corner was a costume store. A smile snaked onto Minako's face.

Amano would do anything for her. Plus, he owed her for her teaching him how to dance for the school's masquerade ball last month.

She bought a few supplies from the store.

She made it through another school day. People were lining up for the auditions, some skipping their last class to get in line early.

As students filed out the classroom, Minako cooed, "Oh, Amano."

Amano swiveled around. "Yes, Minako?" He blushed lightly, pushed up his giant, swirly glasses. According to Usagi, there was a guy named Umino at her school who looked and acted like Amano. Strange world they lived in.

"I have a favor to ask. Can you disguise yourself as me and go to my house, pose as myself, and stay in my room until I come home? I'll climb in through the window."

"Uh, I believe that impersonation is illegal."

"Don't get all smart on me now. You owe me for teaching you how to dance, remember?"

He scratched his chin. "Erm, you didn't teach me too well."

"I did you a favor."

He stiffened. "Y-yes, you did." She must've sounded scary without meaning to.

Softening her tone, she said, "I _have_ to audition for this part. It's my dream to become an idol, and this'll be a great first step. Besides, you enjoy studying. And you weren't planning on auditioning anyhow, right?"

"As a matter of fact, I wasn't. I prefer studying."

"Good. Then there's no problem. I brought a disguise. Here." She thrust her gym bag into Amano's arms. "No, go forth and impersonate me. And thanks, Amano. I appreciate it."

Amano lit up, like she'd made his week by letting him dress up as a girl for an afternoon. "You're welcome, Minako. I'll do my best." He turned and then looked back at her. "But, uh, I'm shorter than you."

"There are heels inside."

"I don't know how to walk in heels."

"You're smart enough to figure it out."

"And, er"—a deep blush colored his face— "is there a bra in here? Because if there is—"

"Hell, no. Use toilet paper."

"A wig—"

"Everything's inside. Just make sure to take off your glasses."

Amano squared his shoulders. "All right. I'm off, Minako." He ran around the hallway corner. Hopefully, he wouldn't make a fool of himself.

* * *

Going to the school hadn't been as easy as Courage thought it was going to be.

As Courage and Artemis traversed through someone's backyard, they came across a fat, blue cat that wouldn't get out of their way. For hours. Staring down Artemis. Not afraid of Courage.

Artemis asked the cat why he had a problem with him, but the cat didn't respond. Didn't move.

Courage and Artemis ran, the cat pursuing them. After squeezing past the cat in a drainage pipe, Courage and Artemis started running through a residential neighborhood.

Outside one home, a girl no more than three years old snatched both Courage and Artemis and squeezed them and said she'd take them home with her.

The girl's mother called the police while the girl force-fed Courage and Artemis cookies and milk, Artemis muttering to Courage when the girl was busy pouring them another glass, "This stuff does not agree with my system."

A policeman came right over, as the police always did when there wasn't an emergency.

They had to get away from the officer. While Courage started hatching an escape plan, Artemis vomited a blend of cookies and milk on the officer. Courage and Artemis dashed around the officer and scurried into a bush while the officer ran past them, saying that he wasn't going to hurt them. They stayed in the bush until they were sure the policeman was gone, which happened to be at the end of the school day. The audition was to take place in minutes.

When the school came into view, they saw Minako walking toward them. Toward home. She didn't seem to be brainwashed. Courage let out a breath. Once he and Artemis told her about Tarantella, she'd definitely save her classmates.

Artemis stopped. "I can't believe it. She's obeying her mother's orders, and she's not going to audition, but she's going home to study." He narrowed his eyes. "It's… _too_ perfect. Let's see what's going on, Courage."

Artemis and Courage ran toward her. "Minako!"

Minako looked around, brow furrowed. Not looking down, like she'd have to so she could see Courage and Artemis.

"Oh, Minako," Artemis said. "You've…gotten shorter."

Minako gaped at Artemis. She squinted. Seemed as though either she couldn't believe that a cat was talking to her, or she was having a hard time seeing.

"Are you talking?" Minako sounded like she was forcing her voice to be higher-pitched than normal.

"Of course I'm talking. I'm Artemis, your partner from the moon. Here to guide you."

She blinked. Rubbed her eyes.

Minako must have auditioned and gotten her memories erased so that she didn't know who Artemis was, who Courage was, or about her identity as Sailor Venus. Maybe the memory erasure was so extreme that she couldn't remember how to talk properly.

She stumbled in her heels even though she wasn't clumsy; Artemis said she was an agile athlete. "I don't know who you are." She put her fingers on the bridge of her nose, looked surprised when she found there was nothing there. Like she was used to wearing glasses. "Can't be a talking cat," she muttered. "Scientifically impossible."

"Did you say 'scientifically impossible?'" Artemis said. "You never use those kinds of words. You're as interested in science as you are doing homework. Which is to say, not at all."

She tensed. "I-it's all part of my new studying regimen. I use words that are going to be on a vocabulary exam in real life so I remember them better. That way, I score better and Mama doesn't make me miss life-changing auditions to study."

"That's great, Minako. But you sound strange to me. Did you catch a cold between this morning and this afternoon? It _is_ pretty cold out here."

"Yeah." She sniffed. "A cold."

"Minako, do you know my and this dog's names?"

"Why, does the dog talk too?"

Courage exchanged looks with Artemis.

"C'mon, don't dodge the question," Artemis said.

Minako stared at Courage and Artemis, her expression a mixture of blankness and confusion.

She didn't know who they were.

Tarantella had gotten to her.

Artemis turned to Courage. "We have to help her. Tarantella should be able to turn her back to her old self." He looked up at Minako. "You're coming back to the school with us. We have to hurry, before Tarantella gets his hands on anyone else. Let's go, Minako."

"No. I have to go study. Or else Mama will have my butt."

If Minako's memory had been erased, then why did she remember her mother's command to go straight back home? Had Tarantella erased only her memories of being a Guardian, including her memories of Artemis? If that was the case, then why didn't Minako remember Courage?

She stepped over Courage and Artemis, walking toward home.

"Minako, no. Come with us."

"Get away from me!" Minako's voice was raspy, like a boy's.

Artemis jumped onto Minako's head and slapped his paws over her eyes. She pulled at him.

"Turn around now, Minako. We have to go back to the school." Artemis looked to the sky. "Never thought I'd be asking you to disobey your mother."

"For the last time, I'm Mi-na-ko. Plain Minako Aino." She chuckled. "I know. Someone's playing a prank on me, controlling this cat like a puppet. What's happening makes no sense otherwise."

Courage grabbed Minako's legs and swung Minako around so that she faced the school. He pushed her toward the school as she tore at Artemis, the cat still covering her eyes.

"Keep going, Courage," Artemis said. "I'll keep her distracted up here."

Courage gulped. He hoped that what awaited them at the school wasn't too bad.

The things he did for love.

* * *

In the schoolyard, Minako stepped in line beside Hikaru. Blew on her fingers for good luck. "Are you ready, Hikaru-chan? Because I sure am."

Hikaru nodded, her expression serious. "Yes, I am."

Minako mirrored her friend's expression. "This will determine my future." Actually, being a Guardian did, but all that mattered now was becoming an idol.

After an eternity of watching schoolmates leave either crying or silent, Minako reached the front, Hikaru going behind a curtain to audition. From what Minako had seen when Hikaru opened the curtain, lights lit up the area, and there was a small stage in front of Benton Tarantella, the man who would determine her fate as Minako Aino, not Sailor Venus.

Even though her mama had kept her from watching Tarantella's movie, she wouldn't mess up.

"Minako. Aino." The voice rumbled like the first rolls of thunder.

Minako looked.

Her mama stood across the schoolyard.

Minako could've sworn she saw her life spirit fly out her mouth.

She searched for an escape route. If her mama reached her, Minako wasn't sure she'd live to see another day. Hell, she wasn't sure she'd live to see the next minute.

 _Everyone_ in the schoolyard watched the bull that was Minako's mama racing toward her, including the pasty-faced Tarantella, who pulled back the curtain, head cocked, having lost interest in Hikaru. Not only had her mama destroyed Minako's chances at becoming an idol, but she'd also ended Hikaru's chances of being in a movie.

Unacceptable.

Minako ground her feet. She didn't have to ruin other people's dreams for the sake of education.

"Get off me, you crazy cat!"

She turned.

Minako saw her life spirit leave her body for a second time.

Courage, pushing the disguised Amano toward the auditions. Artemis, scratching Amano's face for distraction. Amano, looking exactly like Minako (something she commended herself for. If nothing else today was going according to plan, at least she'd gotten the disguise right).

Minako was at a loss.

She could pretend to be a Minako lookalike, and Amano could pretend that he was the real Minako, but he'd face her mama's punishment instead. Minako didn't want to be that cruel. Amano was already getting his face scratched off. It was a miracle that the wig hadn't fallen.

Everyone's attention had turned to the boy in drag with a cat on his face and a pink dog standing on two legs pushing the boy toward the auditions.

Minako gambled a glance at Tarantella. He grinned, rubbing his hands together.

Things like this reminded Minako that things could go wrong without the Dark Kingdom being involved.

Tarantella stood from his director's chair. "Excuse me, Miss," he said to Hikaru. "We'll have to continue this audition later."

Hikaru kept gaping at Minako's mama and at the fake Minako. Didn't seem to care about the auditions anymore. No one did.

Tarantella strode out of the auditioning area, carrying his notebook and pen.

Courage stopped and gasped. Artemis looked at Tarantella and then at the real Minako and dropped onto the ground. Amano peered at Minako, face covered with scratches.

"What is going on here?" Minako's mama stood beside the real Minako, her jaw dropping. "Two Minakos?"

Minako wasn't sure what to do. She didn't want to let Amano take the blame and punishment for her, but she didn't want to reveal her true identity as Minako Aino, either.

Tarantella clapped. "Brilliant performance. Well, I shouldn't call it a performance. It was all real."

Courage growled. Minako raised an eyebrow. Was this man another one of Courage's enemies, come to hurt Minako?

"Feisty dog, too. Wary of strangers, like me." Was that a flash of irritation? "Perfect for this new sitcom I've just come up with. It'll be better and more successful than the movie idea I originally had."

"Sitcom?" Minako had heard of the American term, but she'd never watched a sitcom, being more concerned with playing video games and keeping up with pop news.

"Situation comedy. 'Sitcom' for short. Basically, sitcoms are television shows about average, everyday people, like yourselves, thrown into zany situations. Complete with a live studio audience."

Minako tingled with excitement.

"They're broadcasted weekly as well. So you'll be performing live to a studio audience every week. Then, you'll be broadcasted to the entirety of Japan."

Minako clasped her hands. She couldn't believe this was happening. She was about to land on her own sitcom.

Tarantella gestured toward Amano, Artemis, Courage, and her mama. "All of you will have parts in this sitcom too."

Amano and Courage gasped at the same time.

The color drained from Amano. With his own voice, he said, "S-so, you mean to say that, erm, we'll all have parts?"

Minako's mama glared at the real Minako. "Is someone else disguising himself as Minako?"

Amano would likely be punished, thanks to her mama speaking to Amano's mama after this incident, so Minako said, "Yes, Mama. I'm the real Minako." She explained her plan.

Minako's mama got that murderous look again, her eyes looking like they were bleeding from the inside. Her nostrils flared.

Her mama was going to explode.

Minako took a few steps back. She didn't want to get caught in the explosion, and neither did her classmates; they started backing away, too.

"I'm sorry, Aino-san." Amano ducked behind his arms. "Please don't kill us."

Her mama clenched and unclenched her hands. "Not today." Her eyes lit up, like Minako's had. "Because today is the day when I become a star."

Minako never knew that her mama wanted to be a star, too. They had something in common, and it took them only fourteen years to find out.

"This is brilliant," Tarantella said. "I want you to save all this for the sitcom. I'll write an episode around this very incident." He gazed at the sky. "Picture it with me: A teenage girl named Lina"—he glanced at Minako— "who dreams of becoming a star. And when her chance finally comes, her mama grounds her for a horrible math exam grade and forbids her from going to the audition. She devises a plan for one of her classmates, a boy who's secretly head-over-heels in love with her, to impersonate her. While Lina bumbles through her daily life, she pursues her dream of becoming a star, finding love along the way. Brilliant, isn't it?"

"Of course!" Minako said. Amano opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Her mama's eyes still twinkled, and she looked to the sky with Tarantella, saying that she was finally getting what she deserved.

"But can Hikaru-chan be in it too? She's a great actress." Minako walked to Hikaru and slung her arm over her friend's shoulder. "And if you won't let her, then I won't do the sitcom."

"Yes, yes, of course. Our heroine needs a best friend."

Courage started babbling, came over to Minako, jumped and grabbed her bow and waved it in front of her like it was a flag. Courage shapeshifted into a zombie, pointing at Tarantella and, with his fangs, tore off a piece of the bow. He turned back into Courage and, for the first time, Minako could understand part of what he was saying: "Don't do it!"

Minako flipped her hair. "Oh, what a paranoid dog you are. The director doesn't even look like a zombie." She patted the whimpering dog on the head. "Where and what do I sign?"

Tarantella grinned. "Right this way, please."

* * *

Courage hoped that Minako knew what she was doing.

When Courage told them about his enemies and the zombie director and his eating people and burying people alive and ruining their lives like he'd almost ruined Muriel's and his own life (and Eustace's life) and that Tarantella never delivered on his promises, Minako had to know that something was wrong.

But she'd dismissed him with a hair flip.

Minako discussed her "success" with her friends at the Fruits Parlor Crown, a café. She claimed to know what she was getting into and, thanks to Courage, knew that Tarantella was a zombie. The Dark Kingdom had given him a disguise that made him look like a human.

"We'll come with you to the premiere," Rei said.

"Great. Normally, I'd blast this guy into oblivion, but he might have some clues about Mamoru's whereabouts and how to rescue him." Minako rubbed her chin. "Or Queen Beryl's and Kunzite's weaknesses. Or some weaknesses within the structure of the Dark Kingdom itself." She looked at each of the Guardians. "If I can get him to talk, then we'll have an easier time defeating them."

Courage hadn't thought of things that way. It made sense. Besides, anyone who was the Guardians' enemy was Courage's enemy.

"That's so exciting, though." Usagi squealed. "One of my friends, in her very own sitcom. Even if it's an evil sitcom, it's still exciting."

Ami eyed the window, people strolling outside on the sidewalk. "I wonder what kinds of tricks he has up his sleeve."

"I watch a lot of television," Usagi said.

"What a surprise," Rei muttered.

She shot a glare at Rei. "Usually, people either love or hate the actors in those television shows, depending on whether the actors play a hero or a villain. People always get the actors confused with the characters they're playing."

"You're saying that the role I play can make the audience either love or hate me." Minako shrugged. "Whatever Tarantella's trying to do, I'm ready for it." She hopped off her seat. "I start rehearsal tomorrow. Courage, Artemis!" She snapped her fingers and strode toward the door. "Let's go. We have to rehearse before the actual rehearsal tomorrow."

Courage sighed. And so it began.

* * *

Today was the day that Minako began her new sitcom.

She jumped lightly, like a boxer. That was how they prepared for a match, right? They performed—fought—in front of live audiences. Her friends sat in the front row of the audience.

Tarantella was strange but, for now, everything seemed legit, and she was overjoyed that she was fulfilling her dream.

She'd rehearsed her lines over and over, alongside Amano, Hikaru, her mama, Artemis, and Courage. The dog quaked more than Minako had ever seen, not only because he would perform in front of a live studio audience and broadcasted all over Japan, but also because he didn't know what Tarantella had come up with, either. Artemis and Amano shook too. Hikaru took deep breaths, and her mama paced back and forth.

Tarantella called them to the front of the set, where they would debut.

"It's time," he said. "Are you all ready?"

Everyone responded in the affirmative.

"All right. Do a good job tonight. Take your places."

Tarantella, Hikaru, and Amano rushed backstage. It would only be Minako, her mama, Courage, and Artemis in the opening scene.

Tarantella counted down.

Lights everywhere. Could hardly see the audience, her friends for comfort.

Tarantella, sitting in the director's chair, pointed at Minako. She had the grand entrance, the first line in the sitcom. A sitcom that was sure to become a classic. She'd rehearsed the line over and over, knowing its future historical significance. She wouldn't mess it up.

It was time. Minako dragged herself into the living room set, rubbing her eyes. "I'd rather play video games than go to school today." The audience laughed, Usagi a little louder than the others.

The filming went smoothly. No retakes, which, while Minako waited backstage, Tarantella told her was unusual but great for a new team of actors.

Nothing glowed. No zombies popped out of the ground. Tarantella's camera lens didn't glint, like the fox's sunglasses had to hypnotize Makoto.

The filming ended, and the actors bowed. The audience applauded; they'd laughed at every joke, like a sitcom. Tarantella was a great writer.

They filmed more episodes within a matter of days, tiring Minako and her costars. The scripts became more mean-spirited, poking fun at people's personalities rather than the harmless jokes that had been written before. And then Minako was required to make fun of Amano's glasses.

"I don't do that sort of thing," Minako told Tarantella. "Actually, I think this is going a bit too far."

"You're just tired and cranky," Tarantella said. "That's why it seems like the jokes are becoming meaner. But that's not the case. The jokes are the same and will always be the same."

Minako asked Artemis and Courage about it, and they agreed, although they were tired from working fourteen hour days seven days a week, squeezing out another episode every three days instead once a week like Tarantella had said. The sitcom had taken off in popularity, causing demand to skyrocket. Hence, the increased workload.

But if this hard work was part of stardom, Minako would take it. She'd do anything to achieve her dream.

* * *

Her mama commanded Minako to go to the store. Even though Minako had shot to stardom, her mama still gave her orders. That wasn't right. Minako was getting top billing in the sitcom. Should be asking her mama to get groceries.

As Minako stood in the checkout line, a woman behind her stared at her. Minako looked.

"I'm sorry for staring," the woman said. "I watch your sitcom every Tuesday and Friday, and I love it." She leaned near Minako. "Is it true that you're a lazy bum who can't be bothered to study like a proper lady?"

Minako flushed. "Of course not. I'm serious about my studies." Which she was, to an extent.

A man in the next line over piped up, "That can't be true when she's filming that sitcom all day long. How can she even find time to study? And she's so lazy, after a day of filming, she probably goes home to sleep."

"Making fun of all your friends on the show, too," the checkout clerk said. "How rude."

"None of that's true."

"It has to be true. It _is_ true."

"Lazy, mean, entitled teenager. Typical."

They kept insulting her, but Minako tuned them out. None of that was true, none of it.

She paid for her things and rushed out the store, cheeks scarlet.

None of it was true.

* * *

Minako settled into her desk at school during a day off that Tarantella had given her and her costars. Why did she still have to go to school, anyhow? She was a star. Not one of the ordinary folk. And especially not one of the folk who had annoyed her at the grocery store. Those stupid people who'd confused her character with the real Minako.

Hikaru settled beside her. Amano hadn't come yet. But for now, she had Hikaru.

"Good morning, Mina-chan," Hikaru said. Treating her normally, not like the star she was.

"Good morning," Minako replied. Treating the ordinary folk the way they were—nobody special.

It was only them in the classroom. It wasn't like Minako had arrived early on purpose. Well, technically she had, but it was only because she couldn't sleep last night, thinking about those ordinary folk in the grocery store who had irritated her.

Now the ordinary folk were interrupting her sleep. Not good for a star who needed her beauty rest to recharge and prepare for her sitcom.

"People have been treating me differently," Hikaru said. "Like I'm a mean person in real life, even though I'm nothing like my character on the sitcom."

Minako straightened. "Suck it up, Hikaru."

HIkaru's eyes widened. "What?"

"You heard me. That's the price of stardom. People get us confused with our characters. It's part of show business."

Before Hikaru could respond, more of their classmates entered the room. They'd been talking on their way in but went silent when they saw Minako and Hikaru. They whispered to one another.

"All right, what's going on?" Minako said. "Are you all trying to keep things from us, or are you talking about us?"

"Both," one of their classmates said. "We can't believe that they're still letting people like you inside this school."

"I don't want to attend the same school as mean, rude people are," another said. "You're tarnishing this school's reputation."

Minako shot onto her feet. "You're talking about the characters we play, not the actors who play them. Get it straight, you idiots." The last part had shot out of her mouth, without her thinking first.

Hikaru sunk into her seat. "Suck it up, huh?"

"She's as mean in person as she is on the show."

Minako argued back, but they wouldn't listen. Kept confusing her character with the real Minako. Throughout the school day, her classmates patronized her, Hikaru, and Amano. Hikaru and Amano remained silent, but Minako tried to stand up for herself and her costars to no avail.

Everyone was an idiot.

As Minako stomped home, steaming in silence, screams came from the Game Center Crown. Minako looked inside.

Monsters from the video games emerged from the arcade machines, grabbing her classmates, hitting them, pulling them inside the machines.

Minako didn't care. The ignorant, gullible people could rot.

A monster that looked like the zombie version of Tarantella emerged from a screen, wrapped his arms around Minako. "They're not worth saving. Come inside with me, where you won't have to deal with their ignorance anymore." He pulled her inside the machine. Pixelated grassland was everywhere, except for a cliff in front of her, on which was a castle. The sun shone on top of the castle. Guarding the castle was a miniature Sailor V, the Guardian who Minako was before she'd become Sailor Venus.

The same people who'd scorned her were everywhere, chanting her name, bowing to her. Worshipping her like the idol and star she was. Sailor V raised her compact, ordering the people to keep worshipping Minako.

 _Yes._

A throne with a canopy appeared above her people, and they caught it. They carried the throne to Minako. One of her subjects helped her on top of it, and they took her inside her castle, let her sit on another throne. A subject carried a pillow, on which lay a crown, and placed the crown on Minako's head.

Her people bowed before her.

"Thank you for your show, Queen Minako. It's changed my life. No, _you've_ changed my life."

"You're the best, Queen Minako."

"Oh, Queen Minako, this world would be lost without you."

Minako basked in their praise. She deserved it. She _was_ a star.

"Stay here, Minako," Tarantella said, his voice echoing around the castle. "Stay here."

"I will." She glowed from their praise. "I will."

* * *

Courage bit his claws. It wasn't like Minako to come home late without telling him and Artemis.

With the communicator, Artemis called the rest of the Guardians. The group, the Guardians transformed, Luna with them, went out to look for Minako. The commotion at the Game Center Crown drew their attention. People were attacked by monsters coming out of the arcade machines. Courage screamed, his mouth popping off, growing legs and then running away. Ami raised her eyebrows.

"Would you like me to go get that for you, Courage?" Makoto said, monotone.

Courage scratched the side of his face, nodding.

Makoto grabbed the mouth and slapped it on Courage's face. Courage adjusted it so that it was upright.

"One day," Ami said, "I'll come up with a scientific explanation for Courage."

"All righty then," Usagi said. "Now that that's solved, let's save everyone."

The Guardians, Artemis, Luna, and Courage ran inside the arcade parlor. People screamed, trying to get away only for the monsters, including one of a girl who looked like Sailor Venus but wearing a different sailor suit, popped out and whisked them inside the machines. Courage pointed at the lookalike.

"That's Sailor V," Artemis said, "the identity Minako had before becoming Sailor Venus."

Monsters grabbed each of the Guardians, pulled them into different machines, separating them. Sailor V whisked Courage, Luna, and Artemis into the same machine. They fell on the pixelated grass.

Courage, Artemis, and Luna were also pixelated and two-dimensional.

Courage jumped up and down. Could move like he wanted.

He glanced at the palm of his paw. On it was written "X 3." Like in the Mario game he had played.

He had three lives.

He told Artemis and Luna about his discovery. They looked at their paws, too. They had the same numbers—the same number of lives as Courage.

"I don't want to think about what happens if we lose all our lives," Luna said.

The pint-sized Sailor V stood on top of a cliff in front of a castle, yelling, "Newcomers, worship Minako, the idol." Her voice was like Minako's but higher-pitched.

"Minako!" Artemis said. "We're here to save you."

"You dare say Queen Minako's name without addressing her properly?" Sailor V pointed her compact toward the animals.

Luna stepped back. "I think you made her angry, Artemis." She took out a communicator, but crackling came from its speakers. "The communicators don't work. I hope the others are all right."

"For now, we're on our own," Artemis said. "We can handle her."

Courage gulped. He wasn't so sure.

"I'll distract Sailor V while you two get inside that castle," Luna said.

"Okay." Artemis nuzzled Luna. "Be careful, Luna."

"Minako isn't a great queen at all," Luna shouted. "She should be my subject. I'm more queenly than her." She cringed. "Those are terrible insults," she said to herself.

A vein popped onto Sailor V's head. "You rude animal." She threw the compact. "Crescent Boomerang!" The compact approached, spinning, and glowed. Looked like it could slice mountains in half, pixelated or not.

"Let's go, Courage."

Courage and Artemis hurried around the cliff, running toward the back of the castle. Sailor V whipped around and rushed toward the animals. Artemis and Courage split into different directions. Sailor V chased Courage.

Below, Luna grabbed the compact with her teeth.

Sailor V stopped and looked back at Luna. "My compact." She scowled. "I don't need it to take care of you all." She jumped toward Courage, outstretching a leg. "Sailor V Kick!"

A stick almost as thick as a log lay beside Courage. He picked it up, holding it like a baseball bat. When she was near him, he swung the stick like a baseball bat, connecting with Sailor V's torso. Sailor V broke into pixels.

Artemis rejoined Courage. "She lost a life, so she'll respawn soon. We don't have much time."

Luna, holding the compact in her mouth, met Courage and Artemis. Together, they ran inside the castle. A crowd bowed before Minako, praising her. Minako sat on a throne, wearing a gold crown and an orange, puffy idol dress. Beside her, someone fanned her with a large fan. She glared at the animals.

"So, you're the ones who addressed me so disrespectfully. I thought that my bodyguard would've taken care of you."

"I did it," Artemis said. "Take me, not them."

She jabbed a finger at Courage and then Luna. "But you two are with him, which means you're on his side." She stuck up her chin. "I _will not_ allow animals like you in my kingdom." She shooed them away. "Subjects, get them out."

Not again. Courage had dealt with too many mobs since he'd been in Japan.

The crowd rushed toward the animals. Luna threw the compact. A light shone from it and passed over the crowd. The mob collapsed, snoring. The compact returned to Luna.

Minako balled her hands. "You fools can't do anything right."

Courage rushed to her, tugging at her sleeve, telling her that they had to get out of here. Minako tossed the dog away. "Get off me, you swine. No one touches the great Minako."

Tarantella planned to keep Minako inside here forever.

Would Courage and his friends be stuck in the machines forever, too?

The door burst open. Sailor V stood in the doorway, the sun illuminating her. "I'll take care of them, Your Highness." She jumped toward Courage and Luna, a sword materializing out of the air. She grabbed the sword. Courage shrieked, bounded away. Sailor V landed between Minako and Courage.

Courage returned to Luna and Artemis, behind the mob. Sailor V charged. Courage and Luna dove sideways. Artemis tackled Sailor V, and they struggled, Artemis pushing the sword away.

"We have to get her out of here," Luna told Courage.

They hurried to Minako. Courage grabbed Minako's legs and pulled her to the ground. Luna jumped on her stomach and held down her arms with her paws.

"What are you doing, you dirty animals?" Minako kneed Courage's head and Luna's back.

"Doesn't look like her legs are any less powerful while she's not transformed," Luna said, hoarse.

Meanwhile, Artemis dodged Sailor V's attacks and blocked her from Minako, Courage, and Luna. Artemis struck his head against Sailor V's own, and they both dissipated in a flurry of pixels. Ten seconds later, they respawned, pixels swirling back down and forming into the two.

"Only one life left," Sailor V said.

As the three ran out of the castle's entrance, Minako cried, "No, no. This is the only place where people recognize that I am an almighty idol to be worshipped."

"Of course." Tarantella. But where?

The sky darkened, and Tarantella materialized in front of Minako, Courage, and Luna, blocking them from the entrance, his body filling almost the entire sky. Ominous, sixteen-bit background music filled the area.

He pointed his camera at Minako and shot a picture. Her eyes became more clouded over. "That's right, Your Highness. You're the star, the idol." He pointed to Courage, Luna, and Artemis. "You must tame these rogues or kill them if they cannot be tamed. This is _your_ kingdom, and defiance will not be tolerated."

"No defiance in my kingdom." With her legs and arms, Minako threw Courage and Luna into the air. They spun toward the pixelated sun. "If you three don't worship me right now, you will be sent to my torture dungeon for eternity."

"A dungeon," Tarantella said. "Even better."

Courage had a crazy idea. But many crazy things had happened in his life.

He reached toward the artificial sun. It burned like the real one. Before he could grab it, Tarantella flicked Courage and Luna onto the ground. They both exploded in pixels.

Darkness surrounded Courage. The darkness filled with the pixelated world, he and Luna in the same spot they'd been in when they'd lost their lives. Courage looked at his paw. The number on it dropped to two.

There was a blur from above; Tarantella smashed Courage and Luna onto the ground. They burst into pixels. Darkness, then light. Only one life left.

"We lost our lives rather quickly," Luna said.

With her sword, Sailor V slashed Artemis, and the cat burst into pixels. Respawned ten seconds later and hurried to Courage and Luna before Sailor V could catch him.

"Great, now we all have one life left," Artemis said, he, Luna, and Courage facing Tarantella and Sailor V. The background music became louder.

Luna threw the compact, and it spun toward Sailor V and Tarantella. Sailor V dodged the compact, and it sliced Tarantella in half.

"You idiot!" Tarantella said, pixels replacing him.

Sailor V sheepishly stuck out her tongue. "Oops." She grabbed the compact. "At least I got this back."

"That buys us a bit of time. Let's get Minako." Artemis ran to Minako, shoved her toward the entrance from behind, Luna joining him. Courage rushed past them, onto the cliff, and jumped. Grabbed the pixelated sun, fumbled with it as it burned his hands. He held long enough to throw it toward Sailor V. She screamed, rolled out of the way just as Tarantella respawned. The sun exploded on Tarantella and set him and his camera on fire.

"Again, you idiot!" Tarantella and his camera burned to ashes. Minako's eyes cleared.

Courage landed behind the sun. Minako gawked at the world, at Sailor V, Luna and Artemis still pushing her.

"Don't worry, Your Highness. I'll save you." Sailor V hurried toward Courage. Courage kicked the sun, and it smacked Sailor V's head, setting her ablaze. Pixels replaced her, her scream of, "I've failed you, Your Highness" fading into the distance.

Minako motioned for Luna and Artemis to step away from her, and they did. She ran a hand through her bangs. "Oh, guys, I'm sorry. I let my dream of being an idol get to my head."

Artemis pointed at the shrinking exit in the sky, a square showing the arcade parlor. "Something tells me we'd better get out of here. We'll figure out how to rescue the rest of the people as soon as we get back."

The group jumped outside the arcade machine, Tarantella respawning.

"No. I won't let you leave." Tarantella reached toward them, but the exit closed.

In the arcade, the group watched Tarantella pound the screen. "Let me out of here!"

Artemis nodded. "A fitting end."

The rest of the Guardians had managed to get out of their machines in time. They joined the animals and Minako.

Minako hugged each of her friends. "I'm so sorry, everyone. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have trusted Tarantella—actually, I didn't trust him. My desire to be an idol took over my mind."

Ami shook her head. "It wasn't you, Minako. It was the waves that were broadcast during your show. Those waves made you extremely selfish. The waves also made the population hate you and your costars." She gestured toward the rest of the Guardians. "Since we always watched the show live, we weren't affected."

"Oh," Minako said. "My mama and I watched the show plenty of times. Hikaru-chan and Amano didn't seem affected, so they must not have watched it."

Ami sat at a computer in the back of the arcade. "I'm going to work on getting all the innocent people out. Tarantella will stay inside, of course."

Luna helped Ami. Within a few hours, they took everyone, except Tarantella, out of the machines, wiping their memories in the process.

Motoki, the owner of the arcade parlor, pointed to Tarantella. "I wonder when we got this new game."

Minako twisted the controls of the machine that Tarantella was in, bumping Tarantella around the screen like a pinball, the director screaming. "I don't know, but I think people will enjoy it."

As the friends walked home together, Minako said, "I'm the leader. I shouldn't have been brainwashed like that." She cast her eyes to the floor. "I can't believe myself."

"You don't have to be perfect, Minako," Artemis said.

"Everyone slips up." Usagi nudged Rei. "Even Rei."

Minako gave an exaggerated gasp. "Is that true, Queen Rei?"

Rei smiled softly. "Maybe."

The friends walked home together, Usagi saying that she'd always wanted to be inside a video game but not like that. Minako joked throughout their walk, back to her old self. Makoto joined in on the jokes, Usagi laughing throughout, Ami giggling throughout, Rei groaning throughout, saying, "I can't wait to get home so I don't have to listen to your stupid puns."

Then, Makoto made a joke that struck Courage.

"Usagi-chan, you're gonna be a real moon rabbit when we go to the moon, huh?"


	6. Courage's Chance

**Chapter Six: Courage's Chance**

They were going to the moon.

The moon.

Where Courage's parents were.

Courage stood on the sidewalk, stunned. Remembering his parents, his last time with them before the cruel veterinarian had blasted them to the moon, thinking the dogs would become space dogs, superpowered dogs strengthened by living in space's tough conditions. Didn't consider the families those dogs left behind.

Like Courage's family.

Courage had found new families in Muriel and Eustace and then the Guardians and their cats. But no one could replace his parents, the times he had played ball with them, their teaching him to remain true to himself.

He could see his parents again.

"Courage!"

For the first time since hearing Makoto's joke, Courage saw the Guardians, Luna, and Artemis in front of him. People walked around the group, ignoring them.

Selfish humans. Just like that vet.

"What's wrong?" Rei said.

"Maybe we should take him to a vet," Ami said.

The world sharpened. Another vet?

"He's a human in a dog's body," Minako said. "Will a vet work on him?" She motioned toward Luna and Artemis. "Do vets work on you two?"

Courage told them that he couldn't go to a vet ever again because of that cruel vet who'd taken his parents to the moon because of his crazy assumption about space dogs and—

The Guardians were giving him that slack-jawed stare. He wrote what had happened to his parents, that his memories were distracting him. Luna read his story aloud to the rest of his friends.

Usagi hugged him. "Oh, that's so sad. I'm sorry, Courage." She looked to the reddening sky. "We're going to take you to the moon." She gave a warning look to Luna. "There's nothing keeping us from taking Courage with us, is there, Luna?"

"Not at all. Besides, once we arrive there, I don't think Courage will be concerned about your past lives anyhow." She shuddered. "Dogs on the moon—possibly with powers. I'm glad we were told beforehand, especially Artemis and I."

Courage would be so busy loving and catching up with his parents that they could turn the moon upside-down and he wouldn't notice.

"The next full moon is tomorrow night," Luna said. "It's going to be an eventful day tomorrow. We all need as much rest as possible."

That night in Minako's bedroom, Courage lay awake thinking about his parents and the times he would have with them.

Everything would be perfect.

* * *

The next day arrived all too slowly.

Courage hadn't slept, the excitement of seeing his parents keeping him awake. His heart leaped at the first signs of morning arriving, sunlight penetrating the waxing moon. The moon that would be full tonight.

When Courage would see his parents for the first time in years.

This was the one thing that he couldn't believe was happening.

Great things like this didn't happen to him. That's why there was a nagging doubt in the recesses of his mind that told him that his parents and the other captured dogs would've perished but the vet would be alive to mold Courage into a space dog.

Another nightmare in the corner of his mind was that the vet had succeeded in making his army of space dogs, his parents alive but space dogs themselves. They wouldn't recognize or remember Courage; instead of embracing him and playing ball with him, they'd attack Courage and the Guardians.

Courage couldn't worry about that, though. He'd go to the moon and figure everything out once he arrived there.

At night, the transformed Guardians, the cats, and Courage met in the park. Luna summoned some type of circle that seemed to be made of water, and the group stepped inside the circle. They held to one another, a transparent shield forming around them. Light shot upward from the circle, and they flew into the sky.

A shaking Courage latched onto Makoto's face. The only other time he'd been so far up was when he, Muriel and Eustace had journeyed to the sun inside a spaceship. The shield didn't reassure Courage. Out of the corner of his eye, Courage saw Usagi clutching Makoto's arm.

Courage peeked out from Makoto's head. The buildings, rivers, and seas below were shrinking. Then, they entered the atmosphere. Breathing never became difficult.

The Earth, a ball of blue and green, floated below them. Despite their shield and the sun being light years away, the sun's heat reached them. Courage should tell the Guardians about the time the sun's light went out. Ami would have a field day with the fact that a lightbulb lit the sun, not whatever scientific stuff she'd learned in books and school.

When he'd traveled to the sun, he should've gone to the moon to see if his parents were there. Maybe they could've reunited earlier. Or maybe he would've been disappointed earlier. Either way, he would've been set to rest.

Space was vast and silent. He didn't remember the details of being in space. He'd been focused on turning the sun's light back on and saving Earth.

The moon came closer and closer. Courage pried himself off Makoto's face and squinted, searching for any signs of life. He didn't care if his parents were space dogs and were set on destroying Courage. He didn't care if only their remains were left. He wanted to see his parents one more time.

Then, he saw them.

Not his parents, specifically, but silhouettes coming to the surface. As though they had seen the group and were coming to see if they would be rescued.

Courage's breath hitched. They all had shapes of dogs.

They were alive.

The only other parts were whether his parents were among them and whether the vet's plans had succeeded.

Courage was going to face them head-on, regardless of whether they were good or evil. He wanted to see every bit of his parents that he could, never taking them for granted again.

Then there was something else right beside Courage and his friends.

The Guardians looked at the figure, their flight stopping. As soon as they were near the moon. As soon as Courage was going to see if his parents were alive.

Floating in space alongside them was a man clad in an army general's uniform. Silver hair reached his upper back. Piercing, crystal gray eyes.

He smirked. "Hello."

"One of our enemies," Ami muttered. Courage whipped his head toward her.

Not when he was so close to seeing his parents again.

"Sailor Guardians, I am Kunzite, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, three of whom you've already defeated so mercilessly." Inside his cape, an outline of a sword was etched into the air and then solidified. He withdrew it, its blade scraping against the scabbard, making a screeching noise that made Courage want to cover his ears.

"I'm afraid I can't let you go to the moon. Regaining your past memories would be too risky for myself, Queen Beryl, and the Dark Kingdom."

Courage growled at Kunzite, who cast a raised eyebrow at him. "So, you're that mutt who's been helping to foil my plans. All those monsters I recruited couldn't stop squawking about you." He looked Courage up and down. "You look like an ordinary dog, but I won't underestimate you." He ran a finger across his sword's blade. "They had trouble with you for a reason, and I'd like to discover what that reason was."

Usagi stepped in front of Courage. "You'll have to get through us if you want him."

"My pleasure. Tell me, Sailor Guardians, do your powers work in space? Mine do." Kunzite slashed. A blue beam emerged from the blade, shot toward the Guardians, their shield. The blue beam sliced through space, making a sound like a chainsaw. Around the beam, space broke in half; Kunzite's beam was slicing space.

Luna gulped. "If the shield breaks, we'll all be done for. We'll float in space forever."

"Unless you all can get control of your powers and learn to fly very quickly," Artemis said.

"And since we're clustered in this shield," Minako said, "we're easy targets. But if we attack to stop Kunzite's attack, then we'll either break the shield ourselves, or our attacks will bounce off the shield and hurt us."

Usually, Courage would run from the impending doom, but the desire to see his parents was so strong that he couldn't run. (It wasn't like he could go anywhere anyhow.)

The Silver Crystal around Usagi's neck brightened, its light blinding. A blue light combined with the Crystal's white light. The Guardians cried Usagi's name, but Usagi said nothing.

The shield shattered. A hand wrapped around Courage's neck and snatched him from the light. Courage parted his eyes, red bleeding into his vision. The Guardians were floating in space, Kunzite's beam gone.

Kunzite glanced from Courage, to the Guardians, to the moon.

Barking came from the moon. There were two familiar voices. Calling his name.

They recognized their son.

If Courage wasn't being suffocated, he would have howled for joy. In that moment, he had the strength to grab his parents and jump back to Earth. But Kunzite was too strong for him.

"You're outnumbered, Kunzite," Usagi said. "Give Courage back now." She pointed her Moon Stick toward him but didn't shoot.

"I don't expect you to hit me while I'm holding your precious pet. In fact, Sailor Mars, I believe you need to do something that's been long overdue."

"What are you talking about?" Rei said.

"This." Kunzite jabbed a finger toward Rei. Her eyes blanked. Fur covered her body, and her nails elongated into claws. Her eyes reddened, and she slobbered.

Kunzite had tapped into the power of the weremole's bite and transformed her into a weremole.

He pointed near the moon. A cloud puffed and then faded. Shingo, also transformed into a weremole, floated in space.

Kunzite had been biding his time until he used them.

The weremoles flew toward the Guardians, snapping and clawing at them, the Guardians trying to hold them off and move closer to Courage but struggling with flying.

"I'm not finished forming my army yet." Kunzite held the palm of his free hand to the dogs. To transform the dogs and his parents. To hurt his parents again.

Courage couldn't let that happen.

He opened his mouth to bite, but Kunzite swiped down his free hand, and Courage's mouth snapped shut. He couldn't open it.

"You're not going to distract me." He swiped two of his fingers upward, and Courage's parents floated above the rest of the dogs. Kunzite snapped his fingers, and the other dogs floated, their fangs and claws growing, muscles bulging. Could they fly, too?

"Outnumbered no more." Kunzite tightened his grip on the Courage's neck. "While your friends take care of my small army, I'm going to deal with you personally." He sneered at his parents. "Well, not quite personally. In the company of your parents."

As quickly as Courage had been reunited with them, he'd be torn away from them again.

But why had Kunzite spared his parents?

Kunzite transported himself, Courage, and his parents from space, taking them to a dank cave, only one torch dimly lighting the area. Stone surrounded Courage, Kunzite, and his parents, both of whom shook near the wall.

Courage desperately wanted to hug them. Instead of being suffocated, Courage stood beside Kunzite. He didn't want to risk moving and making Kunzite angry enough to hurt his parents.

"English is your first language, correct?" Kunzite said in English. "I want to make it easy for you to understand me." He grinned, his teeth fanglike. "Welcome to the Dark Kingdom." He bowed. "I am Kunzite, your host." He put a finger to his chin. "Should I let you at least hug your parents?" Tapped his chin for a few moments, as if considering it. Courage wished that Kunzite had the heart to give him a few moments alone with his parents. "I think not," he hissed into Courage's face.

Kunzite rushed to his parents and then snatched them by their ears. They cried out. "These dogs, your parents, they're precious to you."

Courage bared his fangs. He was alone with Kunzite. No Guardians to protect him. But he'd faced things alone before. He wouldn't fail his parents again.

"It'll be better to deal with each of you one-on-one instead of all at once," Kunzite said. "Too much chaos with a bunch of dogs and Sailor Guardians. Hence, why I brought you here; you'll be the first to die." He chuckled. "Unless my little army has killed a few of the Guardians already."

Courage kept baring his fangs. Wouldn't give Kunzite any satisfaction.

"I chose incompetent monsters to deal with you and the Guardians. Some of their powers didn't work as well as I'd hoped, like the weremole's, although I'm hoping that with the space dogs' help, the weremoles will kill the Guardians this time. Other monsters acted upon their own desires instead of following my carefully concocted plans, like that fox."

Kunzite's plans weren't good if none of them had worked. Maybe he wouldn't be that difficult to defeat.

Kunzite looked to the ceiling. "The failures have angered my queen. She wanted the Guardians killed before they became more powerful. She's been watching them here, in the Dark Kingdom, and saw their plans to go to the moon. She sent me to stop them. She believed in me." He looked at Courage. "She watched me choose each of your enemies based on the potential I saw. I thought that red cat's and the duck's persistence would make them the hardest to defeat. But I was sorely mistaken in all of the enemies I chose, and that reflects badly on me and my reputation as the best of the Kings.

"I have one final plan to rid you and the Guardians once and for all, starting with you and your parents. And it will work because, as they say, if you want something done right, you must do it yourself."

Kunzite threw his parents toward the wall. Courage shrieked, threw himself in their paths, and his parents crashed into him. They barreled into the wall and then fell on top of one another. Hopefully, Courage had cushioned his parents' fall.

"Teamwork." Kunzite smiled ruefully. "No, _love,_ " he spat. "How touching. I've heard of the parent-child relationship, how the roles are reversed as the child and parents grow older. Perhaps that will work to my advantage today."

Kunzite spoke of the parent-child relationship as though he'd read about it instead of experiencing it. Was that why Kunzite didn't care about harming Courage's parents or letting Courage and his parents at least hug?

Of course. No parent could raise a child this black-hearted.

Courage found himself pitying Kunzite. The King didn't have a relationship with his parents.

The dog caught himself. Kunzite didn't have to be this way because he'd never had parents. Courage hadn't let himself distrust others because of one human.

He stood in front of his parents. He'd find the strength to protect them, no matter how powerful Kunzite was.

"You believe that you can defeat me." Kunzite unsheathed his sword, that awful screeching noise echoing. "How interesting."

Kunzite swung his sword, curved blue light shooting from the sword with each swing. Courage tackled his parents, and the lights exploded against the cave wall in a flurry of blue sparks. When the smoke cleared, a chunk of the wall was gone. That could've been Courage and his parents.

Kunzite smashed his sword's blade into the ground, a blue light covering the area in which his blade was embedded. The light traveled through the ground, toward Courage and his parents. They gaped.

"I suggest you run," Kunzite said.

Courage tackled his parents out of the light's path, but the light pursued. Courage scrambled upright, quickly helped his parents onto their feet and guided them away from the light, staying behind them while they ran ahead.

"We can protect ourselves, Courage," his mom said. "Don't worry about us."

Courage wouldn't take a chance on them in the face of danger ever again.

The light was gaining ground. Stalactites hung on the ceiling. If Courage could help his parents onto one of those stalactites, they might be able to avoid the light.

Courage grabbed his parents and jumped, hugging the stalactite with his legs. The light stayed below them. If Courage became too weak to hang on, then they'd drop onto the light.

Kunzite cocked his head. "How long can you stay like that?"

Courage couldn't hang onto the stalactite forever. He had to get off somehow and return to the Guardians.

If he defeated Kunzite, then how would he return to Earth?

It was a question he'd worry about later. Too much was happening for him to think straight.

Courage's legs and arms began to shake. His muscles weakened with each passing second. Sweat poured down his head, dripping onto the light, as much from nervousness and fear as from the physical exertion of holding his parents in each arm and gripping the stalactite. He wasn't built for this sort of thing.

Then again, he wasn't built for a lot of things, but he always made things work.

"Let go of us, son," his dad said.

Courage shook his head, gritting his teeth. He'd hold on to the stalactite for however long it took him to figure out a plan.

"We can jump to other stalactites. Trust us."

Courage wasn't sure if he could let them go.

"You may have gotten older," his mom said, "but it's still our responsibility to take care of you."

The other stalactites were close. Maybe his parents could make it.

He couldn't be responsible for their deaths. Not like he thought he was before.

Courage had to move on. They'd survived on the moon for years. Maybe…

"We don't blame you for what happened, my son," his mom said. "We never have. We never will. Believe in us."

Courage let out a breath as he let go of his parents.

They jumped toward the other stalactites. His dad latched on right away, but his mom scrabbled along the wall before she got a hold.

Courage let out a sigh of relief.

They'd done it.

"This isn't quite as climatic as I would like it to be," Kunzite said. "I'm going to make things a bit more exciting." He pointed at the light and then pointed upward. The light moved up the wall.

Toward Courage's mom.

Roaring, Courage leaped, grabbed his mom and tore her from the stalactite. They landed on the ground.

Kunzite flicked his finger toward his dad, and the light traveled through the wall, toward him. His dad dropped from the stalactite.

"Ha!" his dad said. "You'll have to do better than that."

"As you wish." Kunzite jabbed a finger at his dad, and the light shot down from the ceiling, not traveling through anything but the air, and electrocuted his dad. Kunzite laughed, keeping his finger pointed at Courage's dad as he writhed and screamed, his scream as loud as Courage's.

Not again.

Courage tackled Kunzite, bit his finger that controlled the light and electricity. The sparks around his dad disappeared, and his dad collapsed onto the ground, heaving. Kunzite lifted his sword. Courage jumped from Kunzite, letting go of his finger but also trying to tear Kunzite's finger off to no avail, the blade slashing Courage's side. Courage and his parents let out cries. Courage landed on his gashed side and then rolled onto his uninjured side. Tears fell from his eyes, the pain was so great.

Kunzite scowled. "I won't miss next time."

Courage hardly heard Kunzite over the pain. He dared a look at his side.

He was bleeding.

He'd never bled before.

He looked away. Couldn't bear the sight of how much blood was flowing out. His parents came to him, his mom saying, "Oh, honey," his dad silent.

Courage tried to stand. More pain shot through him. He whimpered. There was no way that he could fight at his full strength like this.

But he couldn't fail again.

Kunzite walked toward him and his parents. "An ordinary dog like you can't do anything to someone like myself. The only thing you're good at is screaming. And I assure you, screaming won't work on me."

Courage's parents stood in front of their son.

"We won't let you hurt him," his dad said. His mom shook her head.

"No…" Courage managed to say. He was supposed to be protecting them, like he was supposed to protect them from the vet.

Everything that was going to happen would be a repeat of what had happened when he was a pup.

His mom raised her change purse. "Keep back."

Kunzite laughed. "Or what? You'll beat me to death with your little purse?"

"I sure will."

His dad cracked his knuckles. "And I'll rip you apart with my bare paws."

Kunzite ran his sword's blade against his thumb. "I'm sure." He charged toward the dogs. His parents didn't waver. Courage couldn't let them be hurt again. Not after all this time, all the suffering they must have endured on the moon, their hearts aching for their son like his own heart had ached for them. Their suffering must have been worse than anything physical that could happen to them.

Maybe that was why they were protecting Courage now.

Everything slowed down. Even though Kunzite must have been running quickly, resolute in ending the dogs' lives in a moment, he was running in slow motion.

An opportunity.

Courage did the one thing he did best.

He opened his mouth. And screamed.

Kunzite didn't flinch.

The cave shook. The stalactites broke from the ceiling, crashed onto Kunzite, crushing him to the ground. Stopped him from reaching his parents.

Courage gasped from the effort, the pain that had shot through him as he screamed.

His parents looked back at him, glowing with pride.

His dad pounded a paw on his chest. "You've inherited the screaming trait from my side of the family." He grinned at Courage's mom. "I told you that it would come in handy someday, dear."

Kunzite let out a primal noise. "You stupid, wretched mongrel. You just won't die. I'm out of your league. I can kill you in a split second."

"Why haven't you, then?" his dad said.

"Because I've underestimated you." Kunzite pushed the stalactites off and stood. "I can understand why you've given the rest of my partners so much trouble."

Courage wished that that cruel veterinarian's plan to make superpowered space dogs had worked. He could use superpowers at a time like this.

The fact that Kunzite had pushed those heavy stalactites off without trouble bothered Courage. Not that Kunzite hadn't already proved his power.

"Now I'll end this." Kunzite slashed, and three blue arcs of light shot off from his sword. Courage and his parents jumped out of the way, and the slashes collided with the stone wall, shattering it and revealing the empty darkness outside.

Was the Dark Kingdom in space?

"Where exactly are we?" his dad said.

"Does it matter?" Kunzite slashed again, and the dogs dodged. Kunzite slashed where he predicted Courage would jump, and Courage collided with the arc of light. The light exploded, covering Courage in smoke. Courage wailed, the pain all over him, flashes of blue blinding him.

The smoke cleared, Courage on the ground, his gash burning, his body covered in spikes of pain.

Kunzite snarled. "Why aren't you dead yet? Is this another reason my partners had so much trouble killing you?" His knuckles whitened against his sword's hilt. "I'm going to do this the old-fashioned way, then." He dashed to Courage, lifted his sword overhead, and swung. Courage rolled out of the way, cringing from his gash, the sword's blade clanging against the stone ground.

Kunzite's eyes knifed, and he slashed again. Courage rolled again. Kunzite stomped his foot on the other side of Courage and then slashed. Courage flattened himself so that he was box-shaped and two-dimensional, slid under Kunzite. The blade missed. Kunzite's eyes widened.

"Why is a mere dog giving you so much trouble, Kunzite?" The female voice came from above. Courage looked. Only the ceiling was above them.

Kunzite froze, keeping his blade on the ground. "Queen Beryl?"

"I thought you were my most skilled King. Was I wrong?"

"No, my queen."

"Then why have all your plans failed? And why can't you defeat three plain dogs?"

Kunzite flushed deeply. Courage had shuffled away from Kunzite, near his parents who were in front of the second hole in the wall. Kunzite roared and then slashed, setting off three red beams of light from his blade. The dogs dodged. The beams passed through the opening and then tore space open, revealing the Guardians fighting against Rei, Shingo, and the space dogs.

"Kunzite…!" Queen Beryl said, her voice rocking the area.

Kunzite stepped back. Surprised by his own outburst and mistake.

Courage took his parents' paws, ignored the pain to make one leap through the opening. The air swirled, and he and his parents landed on the moon, the opening still there. Courage didn't know how to close it, but he was sure the Guardians could defeat Kunzite.

Even though they weren't doing so well against Kunzite's army.

Rei and Shingo had eaten Ami and Makoto, respectively, and shook them in midspace, floating near the moon. Luna and Artemis were on the moon being chased by the superdogs, all of them quadruple the cats' size. Other superdogs fought against Usagi and Minako, trading blows.

Despite the activity, Courage noticed a pile of human bones to his right.

Before Courage could ask his parents about them, a beam shot through the portal. Courage tackled his parents out the way. The beam exploded on the other side of the moon, several yards away from Luna, Artemis, and the chasing superdogs. Kunzite stepped through the portal, his sword raised.

"I won't let you get away this time."

"Courage!" Usagi shoved away the superdog she fought against, sending the superdog backward. She flew in front of Courage, landing before him and his parents. She glared at Kunzite.

"Sailor Moon. We meet again. Having a bit of trouble?"

The superdog barreled into Usagi. They tumbled on the ground, down and up several craters.

There had to be something Courage could do.

Everyone had weaknesses. What were Kunzite's?

"While you're rolling in the mud with my superdog," Kunzite said, stalking toward Courage and his parents, "I'll finish taking care of your pets."

"Courage!" Usagi reached toward Courage, and the superdog punched her arm down. "No!"

Courage had survived against Kunzite for a long time. He'd do it again.

He couldn't figure out what Kunzite's weaknesses were, so he charged forward. The only thing he could do.

Kunzite slashed. Courage jumped onto the blade and snapped at Kunzite's face. Kunzite grabbed Courage's neck.

"A grave mistake." Kunzite slashed. Courage saw the blade coming toward him in slow motion, and he remembered his parents, how little time he'd spent with them. How badly he'd wanted to save his parents from the vet. And he remembered his friends in Japan, who'd helped him try to find the cure. He remembered Muriel and Eustace. The little sympathy he'd garnered for Eustace after finding out about the reason behind the farmer's cruelty. Muriel's unconditional love.

Courage remembered everything as the blade nicked his neck. Began to slice. He didn't feel anything. Needed to hang on because he had to save Muriel and Eustace, properly reunite with his parents.

A superdog crashed into Kunzite; at the same time, Usagi grabbed Courage and hugged him to her. Looked at him, eyebrows raised.

Courage put his paw to his neck. Bleeding again. He nodded at Usagi to let her know that he was all right.

The rest of the Guardians, Luna, and Artemis joined Courage and Usagi.

"Huh?" Usagi said, Kunzite and the superdog rolling in a crater, Kunzite yelling for the superdog to be smart enough to figure out how to get off him. "Rei-chan, you're back to normal. How?" She looked around. The other superdogs were in a pile, unconscious. "And where's Shingo?"

"We finally got used to fighting up here." Minako gestured toward the pile of superdogs. "Enough to take care of them and pry Ami-chan and Mako-chan out of Rei's and Shingo's mouths."

"I managed to quickly get back down to Earth," Ami said, "find the weremole and take its hair, and give it to Rei and Shingo. Shingo's back in at your house, Usagi. In other words, we're ready to help."

Usagi smiled at the Guardians and then at Courage. "Don't worry, Courage. We'll defeat him together."

Courage's parents stood behind the Guardians. Courage jumped from Usagi's arms, landing on his feet as Kunzite shoved the superdog into space. Kunzite assessed the unconscious superdogs silently.

"Not much to say now, bigshot?" Makoto said.

Kunzite remained silent.

"You must defeat them, Kunzite," Beryl said, the voice from above. "That's your mission. If you can't, then I'll gladly kill you myself." The Guardians, the cats, and the dogs looked around.

"Yes, my queen," Kunzite said quietly, raising his sword. He rushed toward the Guardians.

"Mercury Aqua Mist!"

The mist descended, and the Guardians dashed forward, Courage with them. Kunzite sliced through the fog but, by then, the Guardians and Courage had surrounded him.

Usagi jabbed her Moon Stick toward Kunzite. "Tell me where Mamoru is," she shouted.

"No." Kunzite set his jaw. "If I can't win today, I'll go to my grave with the satisfaction of seeing how tortured you are about your beloved Endymion."

Usagi's eyes welled with tears. "Moon Healing Escalation!" The beautiful light brightened space, made it not so impersonal and cold.

Her light filled space with life.

Courage was mesmerized by the light, a light that he wished Muriel and Eustace could behold. A gorgeous, healing light...

His mouth dropped.

The cure had been with him the whole time.

Only, the cure wasn't a thing. It was a person.

Usagi—Sailor Moon—was the cure.


	7. Here's to Us

**Chapter Seven: Here's to Us**

Kunzite crumbled within Moon Healing Escalation's fading light, leaving a purple stone, kunzite. The stone fell onto the moon's ground, where the group stood.

It was over.

Usagi picked up the stone. Kunzite had been after Mamoru and the rest of her friends. She didn't want to risk leaving one of the Kings alive.

She had to defeat Queen Beryl to rescue Mamoru.

She couldn't take Courage or his parents with her. Beryl's power was a mystery, and she and her fellow Guardians might not be able to protect the dogs.

Courage wrote to the Guardians that he believed the cure was Usagi. More specifically, the cure was Sailor Moon.

Usagi pointed at herself, gaping. " _I'm_ the cure?"

Courage nodded and explained that he thought it made sense, since Usagi was from Azabu-Juuban, where the computer told him the cure would be. He'd pieced together the clues he'd gotten from defeating his enemies alongside the Guardians: First, Usagi's Silver Crystal combining with the weremole's hair to turn Usagi from a weremole to a human. Next, her Moon Healing Escalation turning back all those people into their regular selves in the hot springs—the people had looked sick. Like Muriel and Eustace.

Moon Healing Escalation combined with the Silver Crystal's power would cure Courage's owners.

Usagi tightened her grip on the Moon Stick. What if she let Courage down? After all the time he'd spent in Japan, for his hopes to be shattered because Usagi couldn't heal his owners… She couldn't let Courage bear that pain.

To fail someone who had tried his best, to have Courage's owners die because of her…

This was what it'd be like to be the Moon Princess. To have responsibility for others' lives.

A sudden pressure crushed her. Could she do it? Sure, the other Guardians would help, but what if she gave them the wrong commands and sent them to their deaths?

She gripped her throbbing forehead.

Her friends asked her what was wrong. She was losing it in front of them, and now they were worrying, too. She had to be strong for them, but she'd already shown such weakness.

So she decided to do something she'd hardly ever done with her friends.

She told them about her worries.

"I…I can't be the Moon Princess. I can't be in charge of a whole kingdom. I'm just a middle-school student. What do I know about running a whole galaxy? I can't even pass English."

Luna nuzzled her ankle. "You'll learn, Usagi-chan. And you have me and the others to teach you. I realize that it's overwhelming, but we'll support you no matter what. So please don't worry about the future. We'll all help."

"I'm the leader," Minako said, "and I was the Moon Princess decoy, and I didn't know what I was doing most of the time." She put a hand on Usagi's shoulder. "It's tough, but you'll learn quickly, Usagi-chan. I was the first Guardian, and I got through everything just fine." She turned to the rest of the Guardians. "All of you have been doing a great job. I'm proud of how far we've come in such a short time. We'll grow even more as a team. Usagi-chan, I have faith that you'll cure Courage's owners. You've helped many others, even when you weren't transformed into a Guardian."

"You've reached out to myself, Makoto, and Rei," Ami said. "You brought us all together and gave us friendship. None of us knows where we'd be without you. You're powerful, Usagi, with and without your powers as a Guardian."

Yes. Usagi had overcome so much, and she'd overcome much more, like saving Mamoru alongside her friends, defeating Beryl and, firstly, curing Courage's owners.

"Thank you, everyone."

Behind the group, the pile of dogs, back to their normal selves because of Kunzite's death, rolled off one another and looked around.

"We're still on the moon?" a bulldog said. Courage could understand the dog's English, but he wasn't sure if the Guardians, Luna, and Artemis could. He nodded, his dad saying, "You are."

The dogs couldn't remember anything that had happened to them while they were superdogs, so Courage and his parents explained.

"Dogs on the moon…" Makoto put a hand on the back of her head. "Could become a new legend."

Ami blinked. "How did they survive all this time without oxygen?"

"The same way we're surviving now." Minako winked at Ami. "You think too much. Just enjoy it."

Usagi stepped forward. "Don't worry, everyone."

The dogs cast confused looks at Usagi. Since they couldn't understand Japanese, Courage translated as best he could. He babbled a little; his fear wasn't completely gone. Kunzite had appeared out of thin air, and Courage was afraid that Queen Beryl would decide to pay them a deadly visit.

He shook his head of the thought. Although he was battered physically and emotionally, he'd always have enough energy to protect his parents and his friends.

Usagi continued, "You must have been separated from your homes and families, too. We'll take you all back to your homes on Earth."

The dogs cheered, thanking Usagi and her friends.

"We apologize," Luna said, "but you'll have to wait a little longer. We came up here to take care of some business ourselves. It shouldn't take long."

The dogs didn't so much as groan. They'd spent many years on the moon. What was a few more minutes?

The Guardians' original purpose for going to the moon was to regain their memories. They walked to the other side of the moon. In his excitement to catch up with his parents, Courage didn't watch.

"I couldn't understand what those girls were saying earlier," his mom said. "What did they name you?"

Courage told his mom and dad all about Muriel's finding him in an alleyway and naming him Courage. His parents had still been deciding what to name him when they'd been captured.

"That's a fitting name." His dad ruffled his fur. "Especially after what you did back there."

Courage grinned. He couldn't remember his dad praising him like that. His memories of his parents were mostly of the day they'd been taken away.

He told them that his owners came down with an illness, that he'd traveled to Japan to find the cure and finally figured it out after spending a month in Azabu-Juuban. Thanks to the Guardians, he'd traveled to the moon to reunite with his parents.

His parents told Courage about their time on the moon. How they spent their days looking into space, thinking about how quickly they'd lost their son. His mom had a condition in which she could give birth to only one puppy, not a litter. When Courage was first born, his parents promised him that they'd never leave him. His mom wiped a tear from her eye as she said, "Less than a year after we had you, we left you."

Courage reassured them that it wasn't their fault. He told them that he thought it was his fault for not being able to save them and running away instead. After that day, he swore that he'd never run away when his loved ones were in danger.

"Isn't that ironic?" his dad said. "We both blamed ourselves."

"You were just a puppy at the time, honey," his mom said. "You couldn't have saved us."

For a long time after that incident, Courage had thought her wrong, that he could've saved them.

He looked at the human bones to his right. Wherever the vet was now, he was getting what he deserved.

Nevertheless, Courage was with his parents now, and now was all he had.

* * *

Once the Guardians finished regaining their memories, they joined the dogs, looking somewhat distracted from the enormity of what they'd learned. They gathered in a circle and took one another's hands, the dogs and the cats in the middle. A transparent shield formed around the group. They flew into space and then returned to Earth's sky, the dogs telling the Guardians where their homes were.

Flying over the world was extraordinary. It sure beat flying in a crowded airplane next to a drooling elephant.

The sky changed from darkness, stars twinkling everywhere, to a blazing red, to a clear blue as they passed through different countries and time zones, leaving the dogs in their homes, their families stunned at first and then greeting them with hugs.

When they finished dropping off all the dogs, they went to Nowhere.

To give Muriel and Eustace the cure.

* * *

The group stepped onto the dirt-covered ground. Courage took in a big breath of Nowhere's dusty air.

The farmhouse was in front of them. Beside them was Eustace's blue truck with its wooden cab.

After almost a month in Japan, Courage was home.

The dog couldn't wait to go inside. He rushed to the door and knocked. Dr. Vindaloo answered.

"Ah, dog," the doctor said in his thick Indian accent. "You have returned." He turned, showing Muriel and Eustace. Courage took a step back. His owners' skin was blue-green, and sweat covered them, making them glisten in the house's light. They sounded like they were trying to breathe underwater.

"As you can see," the doctor said, "there is nothing to worry about. Nothing at all."

Courage hurried to his owners to get a closer look at them. They looked worse up close.

As expected, the doctor hadn't been much help. But it seemed like they'd been taken care of enough so that they had at least survived.

His owners didn't much care for the five teenage girls in miniskirts walking into their house. Eustace didn't even say, "Who the heck're you?" A testament to how sick they were.

"Have a good day." The doctor left.

Usagi tentatively walked to Courage's owners. She licked her lips and raised her Moon Stick. All of her friends gave her smiles. Their belief in her gave her the confidence she needed.

She'd do this. No matter what.

She pointed her Moon Stick toward Muriel and Eustace. "Moon Healing Escalation!"

A white light filled the room and then swirled around Muriel and Eustace, lifted them from their couches. The light was transparent. Their skin was still pasty, and sweat still covered them.

Her power wasn't enough.

No.

She wouldn't let Courage down. Not after seeing the love he'd shown for his owners.

Her Silver Crystal glowed, and its light enveloped the light from Moon Healing Escalation, making it so that the light was no longer transparent but cocooned Courage's owners. Usagi squinted from its brightness, and her friends shielded their eyes.

The light slowly lowered to the couches. Each of the lights separated, the light from Moon Healing Escalation retracting into her Moon Stick, the Silver Crystal's light retracting into the crystal.

Leaving Courage's owners, who each sat up, skin restored to normal, sweat no longer covering them.

The elderly woman smiled. "Thank you so much."

The man gaped at the palms of his hands. Clear, peachy skin once more.

They were cured.

* * *

Courage's owners introduced themselves as Muriel and Eustace Bagge, Muriel doing the introducing for both her and her husband, a farmer. Despite being cured by Usagi, Eustace wouldn't allow anyone to sit in "his" easy chair, making Makoto stand. Eustace read the Nowhere newspaper.

"Eustace, don't be rude to the girls," Muriel said, her words lilted with a Scottish accent. "They helped us."

"Bah." Eustace turned a page in the newspaper.

Courage hadn't told the Guardians or the cats much about his owners, just that they were sick. But the girls were so polite that they didn't comment about Eustace.

The Guardians introduced themselves, their English stilted but Muriel and Eustace appearing to understand—as much as Eustace could appear to understand while reading a newspaper. Courage's parents introduced themselves to Muriel and Eustace. Then, the cats did, since Courage's owners didn't have a problem with talking animals.

"So you're the ones who kept our Courage after the vet captured us." Courage's mom placed a hand on her heart. "Thank you so much for your kindness. I shudder to think about what would've happened to our son out there if you hadn't come along."

"Of course," Muriel said. "I would've done the same for my own child, if I had one."

"Don't they think it's strange that dogs are talking to them?" Ami whispered.

"Maybe it's the American way," Makoto whispered back.

Muriel turned to the Guardians. "And you're the ones who helped Courage find the cure for Eustace and I."

The Guardians exchanged looks another time.

"You can't understand English, can you?" Muriel scratched the side of her face. "Oh, dear. How will we communicate?"

Luna meowed, a communicating pen in her mouth. Ami took it. She spoke into it like a microphone. "With this, ma'am." Even though Ami spoke Japanese, Muriel could understand her—her words came out as English to Muriel, Eustace, and the dogs.

Artemis carried another pen to Muriel. Muriel took it and said, "You can understand me with this?"

"That's right," Ami said. Luna gave the others communicating pens. Eustace ignored Luna, and the cat laid it on his chair's armrest.

"We—" Ami glanced at Luna and Artemis. "Um, I created it just before we left to come here." In actuality, Ami and the cats had finished the pen right before they'd traveled to the moon. They'd been working on it since Courage had come for easier communication, hoping to unscramble Courage's babbling. With the new communicators, they could understand anyone in the world.

"Oh, wow," Makoto said. "You didn't tell us that."

"With…everything, we didn't have a chance to." Ami gave Makoto a look that she hoped said, "I'll explain later." Makoto was such a good face reader that she understood right away.

"Thank you for taking care of Courage for us," Muriel said, "and for curing us."

Eustace mumbled, "Thanks." Even though he didn't use his communicator, the Guardians and the cats still understood him.

Rei stared at Eustace. It seemed he wasn't much of a talker, like her.

But Courage knew that Eustace was just stingy. Eustace was being friendlier than usual; he hadn't kicked Courage's friends or his parents out of the house. Yet.

"You can stay here for a few days if you'd like," Muriel said. "You must be exhausted from your flight here."

They were exhausted, but not in the way that Muriel thought.

Eustace put down the newspaper. "Do they have to, Muriel? They've done what they've come to do. Can't they leave? Besides, we ain't got no room for them here." Again, not using his communicator.

"Eustace, they saved our lives. And we have plenty of room in the shed."

Eustace lifted his paper to his face, grumbling.

"We don't have a problem staying in your shed," Usagi said. "After all, we're your guests."

Muriel petted both of Courage's parents. "But we do have enough room for you two in our bedroom."

Eustace put down his paper again. "More of them stupid dogs here?"

Courage's parents gaped at Eustace.

"Yes, we're staying here." Courage's dad stepped closer to his son. "We're his parents."

"Oh. So, like I said, more of you stupid dogs are staying here."

Usagi wondered how a nice woman like Muriel could've fallen in love with a man like Eustace.

Makoto turned toward the door. "We're going to get set up in the shed. We'll see you all a bit later."

"For dinner, perhaps?" Muriel said.

Makoto's eyes lit up. "Yes. I'll help you, if you'd like."

"We owe you for savin' our lives, darlin'. Rest while you're here."

Inside the shed, Rei said, "We have nothing to set up."

Minako waved her hand dismissively. "Pfft, nonsense. We have superpowers. We'll be fine."

"Superpowers don't work that way, Minako," Artemis said.

Usagi sighed. "Why can't superpowers ever be practical? Like, why can't I get dressed in the mornings like I transform? You know how convenient that would be?"

"Would that mean you wouldn't be late for school every day?" Luna said.

"It could. I mean, I could go to bed a bit later, and wake up a bit later and…" She hung her head. "Still be late for school."

Makoto flopped onto one of the haystacks. "We're here to relax. So, let's relax. We haven't relaxed in a while."

Ami settled beside Makoto. "Yes, especially after facing Kunzite."

Courage itched to go with Muriel. Watch her cook. Sneak food, like he used to. The best part was that his parents were with them. They'd be a family.

Courage's wish had come true. He'd be eternally thankful to the Guardians and the cats.

Ami eyed Courage. "Courage, how'd you learn that the cure was in Azabu-Juuban?"

This was something that garnered seeing, not telling. Courage led the group into the farmhouse's attic, where the computer was.

"Two elderly people with a computer," Ami said. "Very forward-thinking."

Usagi scratched the side of her face. "I'm not too good with using computers."

Rei turned up her nose. "I don't use technology all that much."

Minako also turned up her nose. "I, Minako, a lady of the olden days, also don't use technology all that much." Rei tried to scowl but ended up smiling.

Taking the bucket Courage used to reach the computer off the chair, Ami sat at the computer. She reached for the "On" switch, but the computer interrupted, "There's no need for that, dearie."

Ami gasped, made her chair screech back. "I didn't know this computer talked."

"Of course I do," the computer replied, its response verbalized as well as appearing on the screen in both Japanese and English. "I am highly intelligent. Any computer that doesn't know how to talk is, quite frankly, a twit."

Makoto crossed her arms. "A very arrogant computer."

"I say we get one," Usagi said. "It'd make our lives more exciting."

"I say we don't." Luna put a hand on her forehead. "Too much headache."

Ami straightened, moving back to the computer. "All right. I'm going to ask it a few questions." She typed, "How did you figure out where the cure was?"

"It was quite simple. I did a search around the world for the symptoms that the dog was describing. There was never a name for this particular illness, and I don't think there ever will be, but I was able to find a cure based on the symptoms. That cure happened to be in a very specific place—the Azabu-Juuban district of Minato, Tokyo, as you know. I couldn't find where the illness came from, either, not that the dog was smart enough to ask."

Courage growled. He was used to being trashed by the computer, but it didn't make its insults any less effective.

"Besides, the origin of the illness was on a different plane than our world."

Ami typed, "The Dark Kingdom."

"Ah, you've figured it out. Maybe you humans aren't quite as dumb as I believe."

Ami's eyes sparkled, like she'd met a boy she liked. Only the "boy" in question was a computer. "I'm convinced that computers will become smarter than humans one day," she said dreamily.

"You're saying that like it's a good thing, Ami-chan," Rei said.

Courage would be scared out of his skin if a bunch of computers like the computer he had took over the world.

"This computer is beyond anything we have in Japan," Ami said. "If I can analyze it, then we can make our own technology better, not only for us as Guardians, but also for the whole world. Great things would happen if we had computers that could research anything and be accurate most of the time. If we can improve this technology, then…" She fidgeted with giddiness.

"I didn't know Ami could get this excited," Usagi said.

Muriel came upstairs. "I thought I heard you all up here. I hope I'm not disturbing you. Dinner's ready."

"But analyzing it'll have to wait." Ami stood.

In the kitchen, the group, including Eustace, sat at the table. Courage sat beside Usagi at the dinner table. He rubbed his paws together. Couldn't wait to eat Muriel's chicken dumplings, his favorite meal.

Eustace growled. "What're you doing, sitting at the table?"

Courage shivered and then jumped off the table. "All right, all right, I'm not at the table."

Usagi patted her lap. "Courage."

Courage beamed, jumping onto her lap. It felt as soft as Muriel's.

Muriel and Makoto helped serve the food, Muriel telling Makoto that she didn't have to help, but Makoto helping anyhow, saying that it was her pleasure and she enjoyed doing these types of things. Since Makoto lived alone, serving food to others was a rarity.

Dinner was spent in companionable conversation. Getting to know one another, Eustace quiet and, when pressed, being nasty.

Now his friends knew what Eustace put Courage through. But home would be more pleasant with the ratio of people who liked him increasing from one-to-one to three-to-one. Courage could ignore Eustace in the comfort of his parents.

Once they finished, they sat inside of the living room, the Guardians readying themselves to leave.

Courage was so happy he'd found a second family across the world. So happy that not only did they find the cure for him, but they also helped him reunite with his parents and let the dogs on the moon reunite with their families.

Courage said that he wouldn't mind helping the Guardians rescue Mamoru from the Dark Kingdom in exchange for their help.

Usagi crouched to Courage's level. "No, thank you, Courage." She stroked him. "You don't owe us anything."

Courage started to protest, but Usagi put a finger to his mouth. "We helped you because you needed help, not because we expected anything in return. And we don't know what we'll find on the Dark Kingdom. I don't want you to get hurt because we couldn't protect you. Especially when you just reunited with your parents."

Courage stared at Usagi and looked at the rest of the Guardians, Luna, Artemis. They'd helped him because he needed help. They'd helped him because Muriel and Eustace needed help. They'd helped him because they saw someone who wanted to be reunited with his parents.

As Courage looked at each of his friends, his vision blurred. He leaned on Usagi, hugged her, and she hugged him back, and he cried, and she cried.

The rest of his family joined Usagi and Courage, and they cried together.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay a bit longer?" Muriel asked the Guardians outside the farmhouse. Even Eustace stood beside his wife, while normally, when they had guests, he'd stay in his chair. Courage guessed that Eustace was grateful for having his life saved. "We've got plenty of room here."

Usagi shook her head. "Thank you, but we have to return to Japan."

"And thanks for rescuing us from the moon." Courage's dad slung an arm around his son, his mom rubbing Courage's back. "We get to stay with our champ from now on."

Courage glowed at his parents' touch.

"It's time we left." Rei bowed. "It's been a pleasure being here with you."

"I can't thank you enough for healing us," Muriel said. "Right, Eustace?"

Eustace grunted, but there was a flicker of smile. The first time Courage had seen Eustace smile in a long time—not a malevolent smile, but a kind and grateful one.

"Thank you for reuniting us with our son," Courage's mom said. "We'll never forget you."

"We won't forget you, either," Usagi said. Courage hugged her. "Oh, Courage, I'm going to miss you so much."

Courage nodded into her blouse. The rest of the Guardians and the cats joined Courage and Usagi, embracing Courage.

"Thanks for taking away my loneliness," Ami said. "It was nice to have you at home for a while. With my mama usually gone, things become a little too quiet for me sometimes. Now my mama is considering getting a dog, but no dog—no one can ever replace you, Courage." Quietly, she said, "I wish you could stay with us."

Courage did, too, but protecting Muriel and Eustace was his priority, people who couldn't take care of themselves. He often wondered how they'd gotten along before finding him.

"We'll visit sometimes," Rei said. "I really liked having you around, too." She hadn't admitted it to herself, but she'd been lonely, saying that she was independent instead and walling herself off from her new friends. She saw what happened when she opened up to and trusted others, like Courage had when he first met her and her friends. She didn't want to go back to the way she was before.

"I enjoyed cooking with you," Makoto said. "Even if you did eat all the food while I was at school, you naughty dog." A smile played on her lips.

Courage thought he'd snuck food well. This was the first time that Makoto was bringing it up.

"But you're a brave dog. It was nice to find out what it'd be like if everyone knew about who I really was. But it's not something I'd like. Too dangerous. At least now I know to listen to dogs."

"Thanks for saving me from that arcade game," Minako said. "And hanging out with you was a blast, Courage. It took my mind off being a Guardian for a while. I, uh, I think about Guardianship a bit too much. So thanks for the relief."

"Same here," Artemis said. "I liked working with you in the hot springs and the arcade. It was nice to talk with another animal who knew where I was coming from."

Luna licked Courage's cheek. "I wish we could've spent more time together. But you are a courageous dog. I admire your ability to get things done."

Courage had never thought of himself as a role model. He always thought of himself as a scared dog whose duty it was to protect his owners.

He separated himself from the group and took a deep breath. Had to make sure they understood him.

He told them that he appreciated their friendship while they had faced his own enemies. He'd enjoyed spending time with each and every one of them, told Makoto that her cooking reminded her of times with Muriel and that helped abate the longing he felt for his owners. He told Minako that he was glad he relieved her stress and that he wished that she wasn't as hard on herself because she was doing great as a Guardian, especially as their leader. He told Rei that he loved meditating with her and her peacefulness, that he noticed her smiling more than she did when he first met her. He told Ami that she was a bright young woman and he loved her serenity and lovingness. He told Luna and Artemis that talking with fellow animals had helped with the difficulty of searching for the cure. He told Usagi that he knew she'd find her friend in the Dark Kingdom, that she was brave enough to fulfill her role as Sailor Moon and the Moon Princess.

Lastly, he thanked them for helping him. That he had expected to only find the cure, not a group of lifelong friends and his parents, too. That, in a way, he was glad Muriel and Eustace had been afflicted with an illness so that he could meet great friends.

The group stared at him.

Not slack-jawed.

"I could understand what he was saying," Minako said.

"Me, too," Ami said.

Thank goodness.

The group hugged him again. Courage said he couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe. The group let go of him.

"I couldn't understand what he was saying then," Makoto said.

"Maybe because we were choking him," Rei said.

Usagi's eyes softened. She looked to the reddening sky. "It's time for us to go." Time for her to find Mamoru. Time for her to leave Courage and his own family. "But this isn't goodbye. Because we'll visit you, Courage, and your owners, and your parents." Hopefully, Guardianship wouldn't separate her from her friends on Earth. They were just as important as the duty she had to fulfill.

The transparent shield surrounded the Guardians and the cats. Waving, they floated into the sky. Courage, his owners, and his parents waved back.

Courage, the Guardians, and the cats knew they'd see one another again. Courage watched the Guardians and the cats as they flew away, watching them until he couldn't see them anymore, and the Guardians and the cats watched Courage until they couldn't see him anymore. They wished Courage a peaceful life in Nowhere as Courage wished them peaceful lives and success in rescuing Mamoru and saving Earth from the Dark Kingdom.

He believed in them, their strength to protect the Earth.

And the Guardians believed in Courage's strength to protect others.

They hoped the best for one another.

-END-

 **Author's Note:** Thank you for reading, whether you read a sentence or the whole fic. I hope you enjoyed. Feel free to go to my profile to see what other ideas I'm working on and to read another of my fics.

Once again, thank you! I appreciate that you took the time to read my story.

-Zesh


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